Memoizer Technique

Data caching is a very important factor to be considered in JavaScript and Ajax based applications. Through proper data caching, developers can create highly interactive applications without being dragged down because the application has been coded incorrectly or the browser opted to cache too much information.

That being said, data caching could easily destroy the application. As a data intensive programming language, JavaScript will always interact with information. Controlling data cache could be controlled in the browser or even better through JavaScript by preventing the browser to gather too much information.

But data caching could be taken to another level when a developer considers using memoization. This technique in JavaScript is more popularly known to improve or optimize the performance of the application by improving JavaScript functions.

However, there is another feature that makes memoizer a very interesting technique for optimization. When the optimization technique is properly added in the function, it can effectively cache the data so that it will never be processed again in the application. In gist, a memoizer will retain the results of the function in order for the application to continue its process without invoking the same function again.

Advantages and Pitfalls

The clear advantage of a “memoized” function is the increased speed and efficiency of the application. Instead of waiting for a few more milliseconds in processing data, the retained data will just be retrieved which means the process could continue without stopping to wait for the data to be processed.

Unfortunately, using memoization in the application also presents a problem. When a developer implements memoization, the function will be cloaked with another function and even additional parameters as part of memoization. The result is a messy coding which increases difficulty of error tracking. When the application fails to meet expectations, developers have to sweep through the functions and check if they work.

Options for Memoization

If you are looking for optimization without clocking your functions with memoization, there is another way. Memoization works by getting the data constant for the browser and JavaScript to implement. Instead of using this technique, it would be a better option for some developers to create another function to create a constant value. With this technique, developers would be able to achieve the same results compared to memoization without the messy functions. The only difference is that it uses only single parameters so that it could effectively control data.

When Memoization is Useful

When considering a memoizer in the application, it is important to note that it might be the cause of error which could be untraced. Because of this drawback, memoization is highly recommended for developers who only use JavaScript in small projects such as widgets.

In this scenario, easy monitoring of the functions as well as troubleshooting could be possible. It would be very challenging to read a large application’s coding just to find a small flaw. When used in a widget, memoization could do the best that it can. When it causes the problem, it can be traced and resolved faster.