inherit-by-proxy.js

function inherit (child, parent) {
  function proxy () {};
  proxy.prototype = parent.prototype;
  child.prototype = new proxy();
};

function Parent () {}
function Child () {}

inherit(Child, Parent);

var child = new Child();

console.log(child instanceof Child); // true
console.log(child instanceof Parent); // true

var Parent = {
   // ...
};

var Child = Object.create(Parent);

var child = Object.create(Child);

console.log(Parent.isPrototypeOf(child)); // true
console.log(Child.isPrototypeOf(child)); // true

https://gist.github.com/jeremyckahn/5552373

Actually, the non-ES5 polyfilly for Object.create() is:

Object.create = function(o) {
   function F(){}
   F.prototype = o;
   return new F();
};

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object/create?redirectlocale=en-US&redirectslug=JavaScript%2FReference%2FGlobal_Objects%2FObject%2Fcreate#Classical_inheritance_with_Object.create

https://gist.github.com/jeremyckahn/5552373

var Person = function(name){
  this.name = name;
  this.type = 'human';
}

Person.prototype.info = function(){
  console.log("Name:", this.name, "Type:", this.type);
}

var Robot = function(name){
  this.name = name;
  this.type = 'robot';
}

Robot.prototype = new Person();        // Set prototype to Person's
Robot.prototype.constructor = Robot;   // Set constructor back to Robot

person = new Person("Bob");
robot = new Robot("Boutros");

person.info();
// Name: Bob Type: human

robot.info();
// Name: Boutros Type: robot

http://stackoverflow.com/a/10430875/99923

http://www.erichynds.com/blog/backbone-and-inheritance

http://javascript.crockford.com/prototypal.html

http://jsperf.com/goog-inherits-vs-john-resig-extend

http://stackoverflow.com/a/11127438/99923

The world's smallest and fastest classical JavaScript inheritance pattern.

If you'd like a safe, small and fast function for conveniently setting up the prototype chain (a.k.a. classical inheritance in JavaScript), that works cross-browser, try this one on for size:

function augment(parent, properties) {
  var child = properties.constructor || function() { 
    return parent.apply(this, arguments); 
  };

  var Surrogate = function(){ this.constructor = child; };
  Surrogate.prototype = parent.prototype;
  child.prototype = new Surrogate;

  for (var key in properties) {
    child.prototype[key] = properties[key];
  }

  return child;
};

... the nasty bit of JavaScript-specific business there being the intermediate Surrogate, so that you don't need a concrete instance of the parent class to be instantiated, in order to set your prototype chain. Used like so:

var Person = augment(Model, {
  sortableName: function() {
    return this.lastName + ', ' + this.firstName;
  }
});

JavaScript Inheritance Patterns

A collection of resources for learning JavaScript.