ReSharper 2018.1 Help

Coding Assistance in JavaScript

Most of ReSharper's coding assistance features are also supported in JavaScript. You can find the detailed information on these features in the corresponding topics of the Coding Assistance section. In the main topic of the section, you can also find the feature matrix and check what exactly is supported in JavaScript.

In this topic, you can find some examples of using coding assistance features in JavaScript:

Syntax highlighting

ReSharper extends the default Visual Studio's symbol highlighting. Additionally, it highlights fields, local variables, types, and other identifier with configurable colors. For example, ReSharper syntax highlighting allows you to easily distinguish between local variables and fields in your code.

Default syntax highlighting for JavaScript looks as follows:

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Highlighting Syntax highlighting

If necessary, you can configure color and font for each kind of identifier.

Code Completion

Code Completion features help you write code faster. While you type, ReSharper analyses surrounding context and symbols you recently entered in order to suggest suitable values in the completion list.

For example, ReSharper can help you find built-in JavaScript methods and properties as wel as symbols from JavaScript libraries referenced in the current project:

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Code Completion 05

Context Actions

ReSharper provides a set of context actions that target JavaScript code. You can find the full list of these actions in the Code Editing | JavaScript | Context actions page of ReSharper Options. If necessary, you can also disable some of the actions using this page.

As soon as a context action becomes available for the current caret position, ReSharper displays the corresponding action indicator ThemedIcon ContextAction Screen Gray to the left of the caret. Sometimes however, ReSharper provides several contextually available features for the current caret position. In this case, the action indicator corresponding to the action with the highest priority is shown, and all other actions only appear when you expand the action list by clicking on the action indicator or pressing Alt+Enter Context actions have the lowest priority, therefore, they often appear at the bottom of the action list:

Here are some examples of context actions for JavaScript:

Reverse assignment

If you want to quickly swap the left part and the right part of an assignment, use this context action:

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions reverse assignment 01
As a result in this example, evt is assigned to window.event:
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions reverse assignment 02

Remove braces

If braces are unnecessary, for instance a block contains a single statement, this context action can remove both the opening and closing braces and fix indentation.

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions remove braces 01
As a result, both the opening and closing braces are removed.
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions remove braces 02

Create from usage

If ReSharper detects an undeclared variable, use this context action to add the missing declaration.

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions create from usage 01
As a result, a variable declaration is added
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions create from usage 02
and you can fill the initial value for the variable
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions create from usage 03

Split declaration and assignment

If you need to split a variable declaration and assignment, a context action can help.

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions split 01
As a result in this example, the declaration of formObj is a separate statement which can be subsequently refactored:
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions split 02

Split into separate declarations

Also, you may want to split a multiple declaration statement into several separate declarations. To do so, use this context action:

ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions split into separate declarations 01
As a result, each declaration is a separate statement.
ReSharper by Language JavaScript Context Actions split into separate declarations 02

Rearranging Code

To rearrange code, press Ctrl+Shift+Alt over a code element or selection that you want to move. If it makes sense to move the elements, ReSharper shows you a tooltip with possible move options.

If you invoke this command without selection, ReSharper selects the movable element automatically. Sometimes two selections are made. In this case, one selection is highlighted with blue, the other with yellow. For example, if you invoke this command over a function parameter, ReSharper makes two selections: the parameter itself, which you can move left or right relative to other parameters, and the whole function, which you can move up and down relative to other type members:

Rearranging JavaScript code

ReSharper allows you to move elements in the following ways:

  • Functions
    • Up and down within the current file or within another function
    • Parameters in declarations and usages of functions left and right
  • Object literals
    • Object literals up and down in the file or in the containing declaration
    • Object properties left and right. Note that left and right arrows rearrange object properties even if they are defined in multiple lines.
  • Statements
    • Parts of assignment statements left and right
    • Statements within a function or a compound statement up and down
    • Statements out of a compound statement (left) or into an immediately following compound statement (right)
    • Switch sections within a switch statement up and down
    • Closing brace of a compound statement up and down (greedy brace). To move the closing brace, place the caret outside of the brace, press Ctrl+Shift+Alt and then use the up and down arrows to include statements that follow the current compound statement inside it or move the last statement outside it.
  • Expressions
    • Operands in expressions left and right
    • Elements in collection and array initializations left and right
  • Other elements
    • Arguments in template strings left and right
    • Line and c-style comments up and down

Regular Expressions Assistance

ReSharper highlights syntax constructs as well as errors and redundancies in regular expressions:

Highlighting of regular expressions

Highlighting colors have the following meanings:

  • Light Blue – character classes, anchors and quantifiers
  • Light Green – grouping constructs
  • Orange – set constructs
  • Pink and light pink – escape sequence
  • Red with curly underline – errors

Matching brackets in groups, group names and sets are highlighted when you set a caret to one of the delimiters. You can toggle and adjust this highlighting using the Highlight matching delimiters setting on the Environment | Editor | Editor Appearance) page of ReSharper options.

By default, ReSharper highlights correct and incorrect escape sequences in all strings:

Highlighting of escape sequence in a string

and template strings:

Highlighting of escape sequence in a template string

If necessary, you can turn this highlighting off by clearing the Highlight special characters in string literals check box on the Code Inspection | Settings page of ReSharper options.

ReSharper also provides IntelliSense support for almost all JavaScript regular expression constructs. In the completion list, each construct is shown with a brief description.

Code completion in regular expressions

You can invoke Basic completion (Ctrl+Space) to show elements, available for the current scope.

Coding assistance in JSDoc

ReSharper understands JSDoc comments in your code and helps you work with them. First of all, ReSharper greatly improves readability of JSDoc comments by highlighting their syntax.

Highlighting of JSDoc comments

When you type JSDoc comments, ReSharper helps you by completing your input. For example, you can type /** above a function and ReSharper will generate a documentation stubs for all parameters and for the return value, setting the caret inside the comment, in the position to start type function description. You can also start typing JSDoc keywords without the leading @:

IntelliSense for JSDoc keywords

When you apply the Rename refactoring to a function parameter, ReSharper will also rename the corresponding item in JSDoc.

If a function has JSDoc comments, they are available in the parameter information tooltip and in the quick documentation pop-up.

JSDoc types, typedefs and callbacks are properly highlighted and become available in code completion:

Coding assistance for JSDoc types

Quick Documentation

With ReSharper, you can quickly review the documentation on JavaScript symbols right in the editor. JSDoc comments will appear in a tooltip. All tags will be presented as sections:

ReSharper showing JSDoc comments in a tooltip

To view the documentation of a symbol, place the caret on it and press Ctrl+Q or choose ReSharper | Edit | Show Quick Documentation in the main menu.

For more information, see Quick Documentation.

Last modified: 20 August 2018

See Also