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Start your free trialPhilip Bradbury
33,368 PointsWhy does the call back function run when not called only assigned?
Im viewing this video a little confused. The Https.get() is assigned to request. request is not called anywhere in the app.js it in only assigned. With this been the case why does the callback execute the console.dir() inside the callback? Shouldn't this only run when the request is called?
1 Answer
Steven Parker
231,236 PointsThe request variable is not a function.
When you say "request is not called anywhere..." it sounds like you are expecting request to contain a reference to a function, but it does not. In the assignment of request, https.get()
is called, and it is the result of that call (and not the method itself) that is stored in request. The result is an http.ClientRequest object.
Just calling the https.get()
method sets the callback to run when the request completes. So there's no need to make use of request just for this to happen.
Philip Bradbury
33,368 PointsPhilip Bradbury
33,368 PointsHi, thank you for the explanation. One more question, why assign the https.get() to the request variable? thanks again
Steven Parker
231,236 PointsSteven Parker
231,236 PointsIt's done here just to be able to list out the contents with console.dir. But the http.ClientRequest object contains a lot of information about the request that might be useful in a more developed program.