Is There An Equivalent Of Php's 'parent' With Javascript Prototypal Inheritance?

I'm using protypal inheritance and I would like to call an overridden method on the base class. In PHP I could do this using parent::functionName. Is this possible using JavaScript

Solution 1:

With the code defined as I have it in the following fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/JAAulde/psdym/2/

The best way is to .call() or .apply() A's method inside of B's:

//Inside of B.doSomething
A.prototype.doSomething.call( this, arg1, arg2 );

Or, to simply pass all params that came into B.doSomething() in one fell swoop

//Inside of B.doSomething
A.prototype.doSomething.apply( this, arguments );

An amazing book (written by a friend of mine) for learning about various patterns for inheritance in JS is http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Design-Patterns-Recipes-Problem-Solution/dp/159059908X

Solution 2:

from my own best practices, best to create

var parent = ...;

when creating the object if reference to the parent is actually needed - which is not as much as one would expect. then use as desired.

I personally think the term "objects" is misleading in reference to javascript since

object == function == closure

essentially giving the tools for an objectness without limiting to formal object / inheritance constraints. on the up side it makes a very fluid, mutable language; on the downside, you need to fill in yourself missing pieces when needed.