Question 1

How do I use es6-symbol as a ponyfill without polluting the global scope?

Accepted Answer

Install via npm and use `require('es6-symbol')` to get a Symbol reference that falls back to native implementation, or `require('es6-symbol/polyfill')` for forced polyfill usage, keeping the global namespace clean by default.

Question 2

es6-symbol vs core-js for Symbol polyfill?

Accepted Answer

es6-symbol is a focused, spec-compliant polyfill for Symbols only, offering ponyfill flexibility. Core-js provides a broader set of polyfills but is heavier; choose es6-symbol if you need just Symbol support without extra dependencies.

Question 3

Does es6-symbol work with Node.js versions before native Symbols were added?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's compatible with older Node.js versions that lack native Symbol support, such as pre-v0.12, by providing a fallback implementation through CommonJS modules as mentioned in the README.

Question 4

How to implement Symbol.iterator with es6-symbol in a custom object?

Accepted Answer

Import es6-symbol and define a property like `obj[Symbol.iterator] = function() {...}` as shown in the README example, allowing the object to be iterable in environments without native Symbol.iterator.

Question 5

What are the limitations of es6-symbol compared to native Symbols?

Accepted Answer

The main limitation is that it uses string property names underneath, which can be enumerated and accessed, unlike native Symbols that are truly private and unique. This is noted in the README's limitations section.

Question 6

Is es6-symbol still needed for browser support in 2024?

Accepted Answer

It's useful for legacy browser support like Internet Explorer or older mobile browsers, but for modern targets with near-universal native Symbol adoption, it's often unnecessary and adds bundle bloat.

ES6 Symbol polyfill

What is ES6 Symbol polyfill?

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