Ext JS contains a function called Ext.override. Using this function allows you to add functionality to existing classes, as well as override properties of the class. For example, let's say we want to override how Ext.Windows are hidden:

Ext.override(Ext.Window, {
  hide: function() {
    //the contents of this function are now called instead of the default window hide function
  }
});

Using Ext.override changes the prototype of the class you are overriding - all instances of Ext.Window will now use the new hide function in the example above.

Overriding other classes can be dangerous, especially when they are classes from a library not under your control. For example, if the Ext.Window class was refactored in a later version, your overrides may no longer work. In some situations you might choose to go down the safer route of augmenting the existing functionality without overriding it. Here's one way we can achieve this using a closure:

(function() {
  var originalHide = Ext.Window.prototype.hide;

  Ext.override(Ext.Window, {
    hide: function() {
      //perform pre-processing
      alert("The window is about to close!");

      //call the original hide function
      originalHide.apply(this, arguments);

      //perform post-processing.
      alert("The window closed!!1");
    }
  });
})();