1/16/2021 JavaScript Data Types
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JavaScript Data Types
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JavaScript Data Types
JavaScript variables can hold many data types: numbers, strings, objects and more:
var length = 16; // Number
var lastName = "Johnson"; // String
var x = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe"}; // Object
The Concept of Data Types
In programming, data types is an important concept.
To be able to operate on variables, it is important to know something about the type.
Without data types, a computer cannot safely solve this:
var x = 16 + "Volvo";
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Does it make any sense to add "Volvo" to sixteen? Will it produce an error or will it
produce a result?
JavaScript will treat the example above as:
var x = "16" + "Volvo";
When adding a number and a string, JavaScript will treat the number as a string.
Example
var x = 16 + "Volvo";
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Example
var x = "Volvo" + 16;
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JavaScript evaluates expressions from left to right. Different sequences can produce
different results:
JavaScript:
var x = 16 + 4 + "Volvo";
Result:
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20Volvo
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JavaScript:
var x = "Volvo" + 16 + 4;
Result:
Volvo164
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In the first example, JavaScript treats 16 and 4 as numbers, until it reaches "Volvo".
In the second example, since the first operand is a string, all operands are treated as
strings.
JavaScript Types are Dynamic
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JavaScript has dynamic types. This means that the same variable can be used to hold
different data types:
Example
var x; // Now x is undefined
x = 5; // Now x is a Number
x = "John"; // Now x is a String
Try it yourself »
JavaScript Strings
A string (or a text string) is a series of characters like "John Doe".
Strings are written with quotes. You can use single or double quotes:
Example
var carName1 = "Volvo XC60"; // Using double quotes
var carName2 = 'Volvo XC60'; // Using single quotes
Try it yourself »
You can use quotes inside a string, as long as they don't match the quotes surrounding
the string:
Example
var answer1 = "It's alright"; // Single quote inside double quotes
var answer2 = "He is called 'Johnny'"; // Single quotes inside double
quotes
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var answer3 = 'He is called "Johnny"'; // Double quotes inside single
quotes
Try it yourself »
You will learn more about strings later in this tutorial.
JavaScript Numbers
JavaScript has only one type of numbers.
Numbers can be written with, or without decimals:
Example
var x1 = 34.00; // Written with decimals
var x2 = 34; // Written without decimals
Try it yourself »
Extra large or extra small numbers can be written with scientific (exponential) notation:
Example
var y = 123e5; // 12300000
var z = 123e-5; // 0.00123
Try it yourself »
You will learn more about numbers later in this tutorial.
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JavaScript Booleans
Booleans can only have two values: true or false .
Example
var x = 5;
var y = 5;
var z = 6;
(x == y) // Returns true
(x == z) // Returns false
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Booleans are often used in conditional testing.
You will learn more about conditional testing later in this tutorial.
JavaScript Arrays
JavaScript arrays are written with square brackets.
Array items are separated by commas.
The following code declares (creates) an array called cars , containing three items (car
names):
Example
var cars = ["Saab", "Volvo", "BMW"];
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Array indexes are zero-based, which means the first item is [0], second is [1], and so
on.
You will learn more about arrays later in this tutorial.
JavaScript Objects
JavaScript objects are written with curly braces {} .
Object properties are written as name:value pairs, separated by commas.
Example
var person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};
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The object (person) in the example above has 4 properties: firstName, lastName, age,
and eyeColor.
You will learn more about objects later in this tutorial.
The typeof Operator
You can use the JavaScript typeof operator to find the type of a JavaScript variable.
The typeof operator returns the type of a variable or an expression:
Example
typeof "" // Returns "string"
typeof "John" // Returns "string"
typeof "John Doe" // Returns "string"
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Example
typeof 0 // Returns "number"
typeof 314 // Returns "number"
typeof 3.14 // Returns "number"
typeof (3) // Returns "number"
typeof (3 + 4) // Returns "number"
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Undefined
In JavaScript, a variable without a value, has the value undefined . The type is also
undefined .
Example
var car; // Value is undefined, type is undefined
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Any variable can be emptied, by setting the value to undefined . The type will also be
undefined .
Example
car = undefined; // Value is undefined, type is undefined
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Empty Values
An empty value has nothing to do with undefined .
An empty string has both a legal value and a type.
Example
var car = ""; // The value is "", the typeof is "string"
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Null
In JavaScript null is "nothing". It is supposed to be something that doesn't exist.
Unfortunately, in JavaScript, the data type of null is an object.
You can consider it a bug in JavaScript that typeof null is an object. It should be
null .
You can empty an object by setting it to null :
Example
var person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};
person = null; // Now value is null, but type is still an object
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You can also empty an object by setting it to undefined :
Example
var person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};
person = undefined; // Now both value and type is undefined
Try it Yourself »
Difference Between Undefined and Null
undefined and null are equal in value but different in type:
typeof undefined // undefined
typeof null // object
null === undefined // false
null == undefined // true
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Primitive Data
A primitive data value is a single simple data value with no additional properties and
methods.
The typeof operator can return one of these primitive types:
string
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number
boolean
undefined
Example
typeof "John" // Returns "string"
typeof 3.14 // Returns "number"
typeof true // Returns "boolean"
typeof false // Returns "boolean"
typeof x // Returns "undefined" (if x has no value)
Try it Yourself »
Complex Data
The typeof operator can return one of two complex types:
function
object
The typeof operator returns "object" for objects, arrays, and null.
The typeof operator does not return "object" for functions.
Example
typeof {name:'John', age:34} // Returns "object"
typeof [1,2,3,4] // Returns "object" (not "array", see note below)
typeof null // Returns "object"
typeof function myFunc(){} // Returns "function"
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The typeof operator returns " object " for arrays because in JavaScript arrays are
objects.
Test Yourself With Exercises
Exercise:
Use comments to describe the correct data type of the following variables:
var length = 16; //
var lastName = "Johnson"; //
var x = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe"
}; //
Submit Answer »
Start the Exercise
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