The typeof
operator returns a string indicating the type of the unevaluated operand.
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Syntax
The typeof
operator is followed by its operand:
typeof operand typeof(operand)
Parameters
operand
- An expression representing the object or primitive whose type is to be returned.
Description
The following table summarizes the possible return values of typeof
. For more information about types and primitives, see also the JavaScript data structure page.
Type | Result |
---|---|
Undefined | "undefined" |
Null | "object" (see below) |
Boolean | "boolean" |
Number | "number" |
BigInt (new in ECMAScript 2020) | "bigint" |
String | "string" |
Symbol (new in ECMAScript 2015) | "symbol" |
Function object (implements [[Call]] in ECMA-262 terms) | "function" |
Any other object | "object" |
Note: ECMAScript 2019 and older permitted implementations to have typeof
return any implementation-defined string value for non-callable non-standard exotic objects.
The only known browser to have actually taken advantage of this is old Internet Explorer (see below).
Examples
Basic usage
// Numbers typeof 37 === 'number'; typeof 3.14 === 'number'; typeof(42) === 'number'; typeof Math.LN2 === 'number'; typeof Infinity === 'number'; typeof NaN === 'number'; // Despite being "Not-A-Number" typeof Number('1') === 'number'; // Number tries to parse things into numbers typeof Number('shoe') === 'number'; // including values that cannot be type coerced to a number typeof 42n === 'bigint'; // Strings typeof '' === 'string'; typeof 'bla' === 'string'; typeof `template literal` === 'string'; typeof '1' === 'string'; // note that a number within a string is still typeof string typeof (typeof 1) === 'string'; // typeof always returns a string typeof String(1) === 'string'; // String converts anything into a string, safer than toString // Booleans typeof true === 'boolean'; typeof false === 'boolean'; typeof Boolean(1) === 'boolean'; // Boolean() will convert values based on if they're truthy or falsy typeof !!(1) === 'boolean'; // two calls of the ! (logical NOT) operator are equivalent to Boolean() // Symbols typeof Symbol() === 'symbol' typeof Symbol('foo') === 'symbol' typeof Symbol.iterator === 'symbol' // Undefined typeof undefined === 'undefined'; typeof declaredButUndefinedVariable === 'undefined'; typeof undeclaredVariable === 'undefined'; // Objects typeof {a: 1} === 'object'; // use Array.isArray or Object.prototype.toString.call // to differentiate regular objects from arrays typeof [1, 2, 4] === 'object'; typeof new Date() === 'object'; typeof /regex/ === 'object'; // See Regular expressions section for historical results // The following are confusing, dangerous, and wasteful. Avoid them. typeof new Boolean(true) === 'object'; typeof new Number(1) === 'object'; typeof new String('abc') === 'object'; // Functions typeof function() {} === 'function'; typeof class C {} === 'function'; typeof Math.sin === 'function';
typeof null
// This stands since the beginning of JavaScript typeof null === 'object';
In the first implementation of JavaScript, JavaScript values were represented as a type tag and a value. The type tag for objects was 0
. null
was represented as the NULL pointer (0x00
in most platforms). Consequently, null
had 0
as type tag, hence the "object"
typeof
return value. (reference)
A fix was proposed for ECMAScript (via an opt-in), but was rejected. It would have resulted in typeof null === 'null'
.
Using new
operator
// All constructor functions, with the exception of the Function constructor, will always be typeof 'object' let str = new String('String'); let num = new Number(100); typeof str; // It will return 'object' typeof num; // It will return 'object' let func = new Function(); typeof func; // It will return 'function'
Need for parentheses in Syntax
// Parentheses can be used for determining the data type of expressions. let iData = 99; typeof iData + ' Wisen'; // 'number Wisen' typeof (iData + ' Wisen'); // 'string'
Regular expressions
Callable regular expressions were a non-standard addition in some browsers.
typeof /s/ === 'function'; // Chrome 1-12 Non-conform to ECMAScript 5.1 typeof /s/ === 'object'; // Firefox 5+ Conform to ECMAScript 5.1
Errors
Before ECMAScript 2015, typeof
was always guaranteed to return a string for any operand it was supplied with. Even with undeclared identifiers, typeof
will return 'undefined'
. Using typeof
could never generate an error.
But with the addition of block-scoped let
and Statements/const
using typeof
on let
and const
variables (or using typeof
on a class
) in a block before they are declared will throw a ReferenceError
. Block scoped variables are in a "temporal dead zone" from the start of the block until the initialization is processed, during which, it will throw an error if accessed.
typeof undeclaredVariable === 'undefined'; typeof newLetVariable; // ReferenceError typeof newConstVariable; // ReferenceError typeof newClass; // ReferenceError let newLetVariable; const newConstVariable = 'hello'; class newClass{};
Exceptions
All current browsers expose a non-standard host object document.all
with type undefined
.
typeof document.all === 'undefined';
Although the specification allows custom type tags for non-standard exotic objects, it requires those type tags to be different from the predefined ones. The case of document.all
having type 'undefined'
is classified in the web standards as a "willful violation" of the original ECMA JavaScript standard.
Specifications
Specification |
---|
ECMAScript (ECMA-262) The definition of 'The typeof Operator' in that specification. |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | Server | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
typeof | Chrome Full support 1 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 1 | IE Full support 3 | Opera Full support 3 | Safari Full support 1 | WebView Android Full support 1 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 10.1 | Safari iOS Full support 1 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 | nodejs Full support 0.1.100 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
IE-specific notes
On IE 6, 7, and 8 a lot of host objects are objects and not functions. For example:
typeof alert === 'object'
Some non-standard IE properties return other values (tc39/ecma262#1440 (comment)):
typeof window.external.AddSearchProvider === "unknown"; typeof window.external.IsSearchProviderInstalled === "unknown";