Symbol.protected

Symbol.protected is a JavaScript library designed to provide a way to create unique, protected Symbols that are not enumerable by Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(). This can be useful for scenarios where you want to ensure that certain symbols are kept private or hidden, preventing them from being accidentally accessed or enumerated.

Features

• Create protected Symbols: Generate symbols that cannot be accessed through Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(), adding an extra layer of privacy to your code.
• Non-enumerability: These protected symbols will not appear in property enumeration, making it difficult for other code to access them unintentionally.
• Custom descriptions: Like regular JavaScript symbols, you can provide a description when creating a protected symbol, which can be helpful for debugging.

Installation

To use Symbol.protected, simply include the script in your project. You can copy the code directly into your project, or use it as a standalone script file.

Example of Direct Inclusion:

You can include the provided JavaScript file in your HTML:

<script src="path/to/symbol.protected.min.js"></script>

Alternatively, if you're using a build tool like Webpack, Rollup, or Parcel, you can add it to your project as a plain .js file.

Usage

Once the library is included, you can use Symbol.protected to create new symbols that are protected from being accessed by Object.getOwnPropertySymbols().

Creating a Protected Symbol:

const myProtectedSymbol = Symbol.protected('myProtectedSymbol');
console.log(myProtectedSymbol); // Unique Symbol with description 'myProtectedSymbol'

Accessing Symbols:

Protected symbols cannot be accessed using Object.getOwnPropertySymbols():

const obj = {
    [myProtectedSymbol]: 'hidden value',
};

console.log(Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(obj)); // Will not show myProtectedSymbol

Only regular Symbol values can be accessed by Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(), but the protected ones will be excluded from the result.

Example Use Case:

const mySymbol = Symbol.protected('secret');
const obj = {
    [mySymbol]: 'This is protected',
    otherProp: 'This is not protected',
};

console.log(Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(obj)); // Only shows non-protected symbols
console.log(obj[mySymbol]); // Accessing the symbol works, but it's hidden from enumeration

API

Symbol.protected(description?: string | number): symbol

• description (optional): A string or number that provides a description for the new symbol. This can be helpful for debugging.
• Returns: A unique, protected symbol.

Example:

const mySymbol = Symbol.protected('myUniqueSymbol');

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. You can redistribute and/or modify it under the terms of this license.

• License details: GNU General Public License v3.0

Contributing

Contributions to improve this library are welcome. If you find a bug or would like to add a feature, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.