Sure. Long version: http://nodejs.org/api/util.html#util_util_format_format
My version: You can use this to perform string simple string formatting. So, for example, you might want to write a custom !roll command for some reason, and while you could just have it output to the chat as a preformatted string. I'm pseudocoding, so bear with me, but you might do something like this:
var roll = '1d10+2d6+3'; // From user input.
var total = 12; // From random cool code.
var rolls = [6, 1, 2]; // From random cool code.
var user = 'Cool Player'; // From msg.who;
var msgform = '%s rolled %s: %d (rolls: %s)'; // The template you want to output.
sendChat(user, format(msgform, user, roll, total, rolls.join(',')));
The advantages are many:
- String concatenation (e.g. string + string + string) is notoriously slow in Javascript.
- You can preformat your messages in a much easier to read manner.
- It's actually much shorter, and thus easier for you to read and debug later.
- It separates the presentation from the logic.