What Is ESNext?

Table of contents

• Definition
• Example or Use Case
• Conclusion

Definition

ESNext refers to the latest version of JavaScript, or ECMAScript, that is yet to be officially released. ECMAScript (ES) is the scripting language specification on which JavaScript is based.

You can learn more about ECMAScript from the official ECMAScript documentation [↗].

Example or Use Case

A common example of ESNext features includes new syntax or functions that enhance the language. One notable proposal is "Top-Level Await", which allows developers to use the await keyword directly at the top level of a module, without needing to wrap it inside an async function.

Before this feature, developers had to create an async function if they wanted to use await in modules. Here's an example of how Top-Level Await works:

✅ Wrap📋
01: // Using Top-Level Await in an ESNext module
02: const response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
03: const data = await response.json();
04: 
05: console.log(data);

This feature makes it easier for developers to write cleaner, more readable asynchronous code, especially when working with APIs or asynchronous operations. Previously, you'd have to use an extra async function to achieve the same result.

Not all proposal makes it into the language, for example the Top-Level Await proposal [↗] is no longer in motion.

Conclusion

ESNext is a forward-looking term for JavaScript’s evolving features. As these new proposals are reviewed and tested, they may eventually become part of a new ECMAScript version.

The is also a dedicated GitHub repository [↗] dedicated to discussing proposals.

Here is another article you might like 😊 What Is A Keyword Argument?