Inconsistent use of ‘new’¶
ID: js/inconsistent-use-of-new
Kind: problem
Security severity:
Severity: warning
Precision: very-high
Tags:
- reliability
- correctness
- language-features
Query suites:
- javascript-security-and-quality.qls
Click to see the query in the CodeQL repository
JavaScript does not enforce a distinction between constructor functions and normal functions, so the same function can be invoked both as a constructor with new and as a normal function without new. This is unusual, however, and can often indicate a bug.
Recommendation¶
Examine the function in question and all calls to it. If it is not actually meant to be invoked as a constructor, turn all constructor calls to it into normal function calls. If it is meant to be invoked as a constructor, either turn all normal function calls to it into constructor calls, or introduce a guard for intercepting calls without new as described below.
Example¶
In the following example, Point is clearly meant to be a constructor function, but on line 7 it is invoked without new. This means that this in the function body will refer to the global object, so the assignments to x and y will create global variables.
function Point(x, y) {
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
var p = new Point(23, 42),
q = Point(56, 72);
The easiest way to fix this is to rewrite the call on line 7 to use new:
function Point(x, y) {
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
var p = new Point(23, 42),
q = new Point(56, 72);
Alternatively, if you absolutely have to make it possible to call Point both with and without new, you could insert a guard that intercepts calls without new as follows:
function Point(x, y) {
if (!(this instanceof Point))
return new Point(x, y);
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
}
var p = new Point(23, 42),
q = Point(56, 72);
Now, if Point is invoked without new, its this object (which is the global object) is not an instance of Point, so the “then” branch of the if statement is executed, which re-invokes Point on the same arguments, but this time with new.
References¶
D. Crockford, JavaScript: The Good Parts, Appendix B.11. O’Reilly, 2008.