Can you add a new dynamic parameter to an object constructor without changing the object constructor?

Question

I'm new to Javascript and learning about objects. I've learned that you can add a new property or method to an object with prototype.

function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) {
  this.firstName = first;
  this.lastName = last;
  this.age = age;
  this.eyeColor = eyecolor;
}

Person.prototype.nationality = "English";

Now i'm wondering if it's also possible to add a new property with a new parameter without directly assigning the new property or changing the object constructor. So, it becomes:

function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) {
  this.firstName = first;
  this.lastName = last;
  this.age = age;
  this.eyeColor = eyecolor;
  this.nationality = nationality;
}

Answer 1

You can do this by wrapping the original constructor in a new function, like this:

const originalPerson = Person;
Person = function(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) {
    const instance = new originalPerson(first, last, age, eyecolor);
    instance.nationality = nationality;
    return instance;
};

Live Example:

 function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) { this.firstName = first; this.lastName = last; this.age = age; this.eyeColor = eyecolor; } const originalPerson = Person; Person = function(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) { const instance = new originalPerson(first, last, age, eyecolor); instance.nationality = nationality; return instance; }; const joe = new Person("Joe", "Bloggs", 42, "brown", "English"); console.log(joe.nationality);

You can also do it via inheritance:

const originalPerson = Person;
Person = class extends originalPerson {
    constructor(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) {
        super(first, last, age, eyecolor);
        this.nationality = nationality;
    }
};

Live Example:

 function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) { this.firstName = first; this.lastName = last; this.age = age; this.eyeColor = eyecolor; } const originalPerson = Person; Person = class extends originalPerson { constructor(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) { super(first, last, age, eyecolor); this.nationality = nationality; } }; const joe = new Person("Joe", "Bloggs", 42, "brown", "English"); console.log(joe.nationality);

In both of those cases I've reassigned Person , but you don't have to do that, you could just use ExtendedPerson or some such:

class ExtendedPerson extends Person {
    constructor(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) {
        super(first, last, age, eyecolor);
        this.nationality = nationality;
    }
}

...and then use new ExtendedPerson(/*...*/) .

Live Example:

 function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) { this.firstName = first; this.lastName = last; this.age = age; this.eyeColor = eyecolor; } class ExtendedPerson extends Person { constructor(first, last, age, eyecolor, nationality) { super(first, last, age, eyecolor); this.nationality = nationality; } } const joe = new ExtendedPerson("Joe", "Bloggs", 42, "brown", "English"); console.log(joe.nationality);