Why is onChange={ ( content ) => setAttributes( { content } )} now used?

Looking through older tutorials or code for blocks built in 2018/2019 vs the more current blocks, I see two different ways attribute values are set.

For example, the “old” way for an attribute called “content” might be:

onChange={ (newContent) => setAttributes({ content: newContent })}

Whereas in a more modern block:

onChange={ ( content ) => setAttributes( { content } )}

I get it’s a minor change but I’m curious if anyone here knows why.

Thanks!

Because { content } is shorthand for { content: content } it’s a JS thing not a WordPress thing.

Both methods work and do the same thing, but the { content } syntax is shorter, so the variable was named content in newer examples to allow it.

Otherwise, there are no security or performance improvements, it’s just a shorter syntax for the same thing.