Noob Q: Different ways to run code in script tags

[Kenny]

I found some code in a sample web page that ends like this:
.....

<script>
(function () {...good stuff here...})();
</script>
</body>
</html>

So it builds an anonymous function and immediately invokes it. Fine.

Now I see on another page:

<script>
....good stuff here...
</script>

So... what's up with that? I guess it is a two-part question:

1. What is the difference?

2. When is either preferred?

I can see maybe the anonymous function would have different scope, or
maybe avoid polluting the global namespace. I imagine it also runs
closer together in time because the whole thing gets parsed and then
dispatched all at once.

Am I getting warm?

kt

[Martin Honnen]

Kenny wrote:

I can see maybe the anonymous function would have different scope, or
maybe avoid polluting the global namespace.

Avoiding polluting the global namespace is the main reason I think.

--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/