---
title: An Introduction to JavaScript Proxy
shortTitle: JavaScript Proxy Introduction
type: story
language: javascript
tags: [object,proxy,pattern]
author: chalarangelo
cover: red-mountain-range
excerpt: A quick introduction to the JavaScript Proxy object and where it can be used.
dateModified: 2023-04-02T05:00:00-04:00
---

The JavaScript `Proxy` object is a relatively new addition to the language, having been introduced in ES6. It's based on the **software design pattern** of the same name, which creates a wrapper for another object, **intercepting** and **redefining** fundamental operations for that object.

A `Proxy` object is defined as follows:

```js
const proxy = new Proxy(target, handler);
```

The `target` is the object that the proxy wraps around, while the `handler` is an object that contains one or more **"traps"** - functions that intercept operations performed on the target object.

There are a variety of available traps that can be used to customize the behavior of the target object. Here's a brief overview of all available traps and what each one does:

- `get(target, prop, receiver)` - Intercepts calls to `target[prop]`.
- `set(target, prop, value, receiver)` - Intercepts calls to `target[prop] = value`.
- `has(target, prop)` - Intercepts calls to `prop in target`.
- `apply(target, thisArg, argumentsList)` - Intercepts calls to functions.
- `construct(target, argumentsList, newTarget)` - Intercepts calls to the `new` operator.
- `defineProperty(target, prop, descriptor)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.defineProperty()`.
- `deleteProperty(target, prop)` - Intercepts calls to `delete target[prop]`.
- `getOwnPropertyDescriptor(target, prop)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor()`.
- `ownKeys(target)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.getOwnPropertyNames()` and `Object.getOwnPropertySymbols()`.
- `getPrototypeOf(target)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.getPrototypeOf()`.
- `setPrototypeOf(target, prototype)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.setPrototypeOf()`.
- `isExtensible(target)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.isExtensible()`.
- `preventExtensions(target)` - Intercepts calls to `Object.preventExtensions()`.

There are many common and novel use-cases for the `Proxy` object, utilizing one or more of these traps. Here's a simple example that intercepts a `get` call and returns `null` if the property doesn't exist in the target object:

```js
const targetObj = { name: 'John', age: 30 };

const handler = {
  get(target, property) {
    return property in target ? target[property] : null;
  }
};

const proxyObj = new Proxy(targetObj, handler);

proxyObj.name; // 'John'
proxyObj.age; // 30
proxyObj.address; // null
```