JavaScript Operators Reference
JavaScript Operators
Operators are used to assign values, compare values, perform arithmetic operations, and more.
There are different types of JavaScript operators:
- Arithmetic Operators
- Assignment Operators
- Comparison Operators
- Logical Operators
- Conditional Operators
- Type Operators
JavaScript Arithmetic Operators
Arithmetic operators are used to perform arithmetic between variables and/or values.
Given that y = 5, the table below explains the arithmetic operators:
| Oper | Name | Example | Results | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| + | Addition | x = y + 2 | y=5, x=7 | Try it » |
| - | Subtraction | x=y-2 | y=5, x=3 | Try it » |
| * | Multiplication | x=y*2 | y=5, x=10 | Try it » |
| ** | Exponentiation ES2016 |
x=y**2 | y=5, x=25 | Try it » |
| / | Division | x = y / 2 | y=5, x=2.5 | Try it » |
| % | Remainder | x = y % 2 | y=5, x=1 | Try it » |
| ++ | Pre increment | x = ++y | y=6, x=6 | Try it » |
| ++ | Post increment | x = y++ | y=6, x=5 | Try it » |
| -- | Pre decrement | x = --y | y=4, x=4 | Try it » |
| -- | Post decrement | x = y-- | y=4, x=5 | Try it » |
For a tutorial about arithmetic operators, read our JavaScript Arithmetic Tutorial.
JavaScript Assignment Operators
Assignment operators are used to assign values to JavaScript variables.
Given that x = 10 and y = 5, the table below explains the assignment operators:
| Oper | Example | Same As | Result | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| = | x = y | x = y | x = 5 | Try it » |
| += | x += y | x = x + y | x = 15 | Try it » |
| -= | x -= y | x = x - y | x = 5 | Try it » |
| *= | x *= y | x = x * y | x = 50 | Try it » |
| /= | x /= y | x = x / y | x = 2 | Try it » |
| %= | x %= y | x = x % y | x = 0 | Try it » |
| : | x: 45 | size.x = 45 | x = 45 | Try it » |
For a tutorial about assignment operators, read our JavaScript Assignment Tutorial.
JavaScript String Operators
The + operator, and the += operator can also be used to concatenate (add) strings.
Given that t1 = "Good ", t2 = "Morning", and t3 = "", the table below explains the operators:
| Oper | Example | t1 | t2 | t3 | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| + | t3 = t1 + t2 | "Good " | "Morning" | "Good Morning" | Try it » |
| += | t1 += t2 | "Good Morning" | "Morning" | Try it » |
Comparison Operators
Comparison operators are used in logical statements to determine equality or difference between variables or values.
Given that x = 5, the table below explains the comparison operators:
| Oper | Name | Comparing | Returns | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| == | equal to | x == 8 | false | Try it » |
| == | equal to | x == 5 | true | Try it » |
| === | equal value and type | x === "5" | false | Try it » |
| === | equal value and type | x === 5 | true | Try it » |
| != | not equal | x != 8 | true | Try it » |
| !== | not equal value or type | x !== "5" | true | Try it » |
| !== | not equal value or type | x !== 5 | false | Try it » |
| > | greater than | x > 8 | false | Try it » |
| < | less than | x < 8 | true | Try it » |
| >= | greater or equal to | x >= 8 | false | Try it » |
| <= | less or equal to | x <= 8 | true | Try it » |
For a tutorial about comparison operators, read our JavaScript Comparisons Tutorial.
Conditional (Ternary) Operator
The conditional operator assigns a value to a variable based on a condition.
| Syntax | Example | Try it |
|---|---|---|
| (condition) ? x : y | (z < 18) ? x : y | Try it » |
Logical Operators
Logical operators are used to determine the logic between variables or values.
Given that x = 6 and y = 3, the table below explains the logical operators:
| Oper | Name | Example | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|
| && | AND | (x < 10 && y > 1) is true | Try it » |
| || | OR | (x === 5 || y === 5) is false | Try it » |
| ! | NOT | !(x === y) is true | Try it » |
The Nullish Coalescing Operator (??)
The ?? operator returns the first argument if it is not nullish
(null or undefined).
Otherwise it returns the second argument.
The nullish operator is supported in all browsers since March 2020:
| Chrome 80 | Edge 80 | Firefox 72 | Safari 13.1 | Opera 67 |
| Feb 2020 | Feb 2020 | Jan 2020 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 |
The Optional Chaining Operator (?.)
The ?. operator returns undefined if an object is
undefined or null (instead of throwing an error).
Example
// Create an object:
const car = {type:"Fiat", model:"500", color:"white"};
// Ask for car name:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = car?.name;
Try it Yourself »
The optional chaining operator is supported in all browsers since March 2020:
| Chrome 80 | Edge 80 | Firefox 72 | Safari 13.1 | Opera 67 |
| Feb 2020 | Feb 2020 | Jan 2020 | Mar 2020 | Mar 2020 |
JavaScript Bitwise Operators
Bit operators work on 32 bits numbers. Any numeric operand in the operation is converted into a 32 bit number. The result is converted back to a JavaScript number.
| Oper | Name | Example | Same as | Result | Decimal | Try it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & | AND | x = 5 & 1 | 0101 & 0001 | 0001 | 1 | Try it » |
| | | OR | x = 5 | 1 | 0101 | 0001 | 0101 | 5 | Try it » |
| ~ | NOT | x = ~ 5 | ~0101 | 1010 | 10 | Try it » |
| ^ | XOR | x = 5 ^ 1 | 0101 ^ 0001 | 0100 | 4 | Try it » |
| << | Left shift | x = 5 << 1 | 0101 << 1 | 1010 | 10 | Try it » |
| >> | Right shift | x = 5 >> 1 | 0101 >> 1 | 0010 | 2 | Try it » |
| >>> | Unsigned right | x = 5 >>> 1 | 0101 >>> 1 | 0010 | 2 | Try it » |
Note
The table above uses 4 bits unsigned number. Since JavaScript uses 32-bit signed numbers,
~ 5 will not return 10. It will return -6.
~00000000000000000000000000000101 (~5)
will return
11111111111111111111111111111010 (-6)
The typeof Operator
The typeof operator returns the type of a variable, object, function or expression:
Please observe:
- The data type of NaN is number
- The data type of an array is object
- The data type of a date is object
- The data type of null is object
- The data type of an undefined variable is undefined
Example
typeof "John"
typeof 3.14
typeof NaN
typeof false
typeof [1, 2, 3, 4]
typeof {name:'John', age:34}
typeof new Date()
typeof function () {}
typeof myCar
typeof null
Try it Yourself »
Note
You cannot use typeof to define if a JavaScript object is an array or a date.
Both array and date return object as type.
The delete Operator
The delete operator deletes a property from an object:
Example
const person = {
firstName:"John",
lastName:"Doe",
age:50,
eyeColor:"blue"
};
delete person.age;
Try it Yourself »
The delete operator deletes both the value of the property and the property itself.
After deletion, the property cannot be used before it is added back again.
The delete operator is designed to be used on object properties. It has no effect on variables or functions.
Note
The delete operator should not be used on the properties of any predefined JavaScript objects (Array, Boolean, Date, Function, Math, Number, RegExp, and String).
This can crash your application.
The Spread (...) Operator
The ... operator expands an iterable into more elements:
Example
const q1 = ["Jan", "Feb", "Mar"];
const q2 = ["Apr", "May", "Jun"];
const q3 = ["Jul", "Aug", "Sep"];
const q4 = ["Oct", "Nov", "May"];
const year = [...q1, ...q2, ...q3, ...q4];
Try it Yourself »
The ... operator can be used to expand an iterable into more arguments for function calls:
The in Operator
The in operator returns true if a property is in an object, otherwise false:
Object Example
const person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50};
("firstName" in person);
("age" in person);
Try it Yourself »
Note
You cannot use in to check for array content like ("Volvo" in cars).
Array properties can only be index (0,1,2,3...) and length.
See the examples below.
Examples
const cars = ["Saab", "Volvo", "BMW"];
("Saab" in cars);
Try it Yourself »
const cars = ["Saab", "Volvo", "BMW"];
(0 in cars);
(1 in cars);
(4 in cars);
("length" in cars);
Try it Yourself »
The instanceof Operator
The instanceof operator returns true if an object is an instance of a specified object:
Example
const cars = ["Saab", "Volvo", "BMW"];
(cars instanceof Array) // Returns true
(cars instanceof Object) // Returns true
(cars instanceof String) // Returns false
(cars instanceof Number) // Returns false
Try it Yourself »
The void Operator
The void operator evaluates an expression and returns undefined. This operator is often used to obtain the undefined primitive value, using "void(0)" (useful when evaluating an expression without using the return value).
Example
<a href="javascript:void(0);">
Useless link
</a>
<a href="javascript:void(document.body.style.backgroundColor='red');">
Click me to change the background color of body to red
</a>
Try it Yourself »