Difference between jQuery.extend and jQuery.fn.extend?

Question

Hi,

I am trying to understand the jquery plugin syntax, because I want to merge two plugins into one. The blinker that also needs to be able to stop de interval or run a number of times.

Anyway, is this syntax the same as

jQuery.fn.extend({
    everyTime: function(interval, label, fn, times) {
        return this.each(function() {
            jQuery.timer.add(this, interval, label, fn, times);
        });
    },
    oneTime: function(interval, label, fn) {
        return this.each(function() {
            jQuery.timer.add(this, interval, label, fn, 1);
        });
    },

this

$.fn.blink = function(options)
    {

because it looks like the first(without =) is a way to set multiple methods at once. Is this right? Also while I am here What would be the reason to add the elements and some logic to the jquery object?

jQuery.extend({
    timer: {
        global: [],
        guid: 1,
        dataKey: "jQuery.timer",

(this is from the timer plugin)

thanks, Richard

Answer 1

jQuery.extend is used to extend any object with additional functions, but jQuery.fn.extend is used to extend the jQuery.fn object, which in fact adds several plugin functions in one go (instead of assigning each function separately).

jQuery.extend:

var obj = { x: function() {} }

jQuery.extend(obj, { y: function() {} });

// now obj is an object with functions x and y

jQuery.fn.extend:

jQuery.fn.extend( {
        x: function() {},
        y: function() {}
});

// creates 2 plugin functions (x and y)

Answer 2

Here is the fair answer to your question :)