Statements and declarations

JavaScript applications consist of statements with an appropriate syntax. A single statement may span multiple lines. Multiple statements may occur on a single line if each statement is separated by a semicolon. This isn't a keyword, but a group of keywords.

Statements and declarations by category

For an alphabetical listing see the sidebar on the left.

Control flow

Block
A block statement is used to group zero or more statements. The block is delimited by a pair of curly brackets.
break
Terminates the current loop, switch, or label statement and transfers program control to the statement following the terminated statement.
continue
Terminates execution of the statements in the current iteration of the current or labeled loop, and continues execution of the loop with the next iteration.
Empty
An empty statement is used to provide no statement, although the JavaScript syntax would expect one.
if...else
Executes a statement if a specified condition is true. If the condition is false, another statement can be executed.
switch
Evaluates an expression, matching the expression's value to a case clause, and executes statements associated with that case.
throw
Throws a user-defined exception.
try...catch
Marks a block of statements to try, and specifies a response, should an exception be thrown.

Declarations

var
Declares a variable, optionally initializing it to a value.
let
Declares a block scope local variable, optionally initializing it to a value.
const
Declares a read-only named constant.

Functions and classes

function
Declares a function with the specified parameters.
function*
Generator Functions enable writing iterators more easily.
async function
Declares an async function with the specified parameters.
return
Specifies the value to be returned by a function.
class
Declares a class.

Iterations

do...while
Creates a loop that executes a specified statement until the test condition evaluates to false. The condition is evaluated after executing the statement, resulting in the specified statement executing at least once.
for
Creates a loop that consists of three optional expressions, enclosed in parentheses and separated by semicolons, followed by a statement executed in the loop.
for each...in
Iterates a specified variable over all values of object's properties. For each distinct property, a specified statement is executed.
for...in
Iterates over the enumerable properties of an object, in arbitrary order. For each distinct property, statements can be executed.
for...of
Iterates over iterable objects (including arrays, array-like objects, iterators and generators), invoking a custom iteration hook with statements to be executed for the value of each distinct property.
for await...of
Iterates over async iterable objects, array-like objects, iterators and generators, invoking a custom iteration hook with statements to be executed for the value of each distinct property.
while
Creates a loop that executes a specified statement as long as the test condition evaluates to true. The condition is evaluated before executing the statement.

Others

debugger
Invokes any available debugging functionality. If no debugging functionality is available, this statement has no effect.
export
Used to export functions to make them available for imports in external modules, and other scripts.
import
Used to import functions exported from an external module, another script.
import.meta
An object exposing context-specific metadata to a JavaScript module.
label
Provides a statement with an identifier that you can refer to using a break or continue statement.
with
Extends the scope chain for a statement.

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'ECMAScript Language: Statements and Declarations' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobileServer
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung InternetNode.js
async functionChrome Full support 55Edge Full support 15Firefox Full support 52IE No support NoOpera Full support 42Safari Full support 10.1WebView Android Full support 55Chrome Android Full support 55Firefox Android Full support 52Opera Android Full support 42Safari iOS Full support 10.3Samsung Internet Android Full support 6.0nodejs Full support 7.6.0
Full support 7.6.0
Full support 7.0.0
Disabled
Disabled From version 7.0.0: this feature is behind the --harmony runtime flag.
blockChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 11Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
breakChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
classChrome Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 42 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
No support 42 — 49
Disabled
Disabled From version 42 until version 49 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript preference (needs to be set to Enabled). To change preferences in Chrome, visit chrome://flags.
Edge Full support 13Firefox Full support 45IE No support NoOpera Full support 36
Full support 36
No support 29 — 36
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
No support 29 — 36
Disabled
Disabled From version 29 until version 36 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript preference (needs to be set to Enabled).
Safari Full support 10.1WebView Android Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 42 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
Chrome Android Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 42 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
No support 42 — 49
Disabled
Disabled From version 42 until version 49 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript preference (needs to be set to Enabled). To change preferences in Chrome, visit chrome://flags.
Firefox Android Full support 45Opera Android Full support 36
Full support 36
No support 29 — 36
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
No support 29 — 36
Disabled
Disabled From version 29 until version 36 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript preference (needs to be set to Enabled).
Safari iOS Full support 10.3Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0
Full support 5.0
No support 4.0 — 5.0
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
nodejs Full support 6.0.0
constChrome Full support 21Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 36
Notes
Full support 36
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 13, const is implemented, but re-assignment is not failing.
Notes Prior to Firefox 46, a TypeError was thrown on redeclaration instead of a SyntaxError.
IE Full support 11Opera Full support 9Safari Full support 5.1WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 25Firefox Android Full support 36
Notes
Full support 36
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 13, const is implemented, but re-assignment is not failing.
Notes Prior to Firefox 46, a TypeError was thrown on redeclaration instead of a SyntaxError.
Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 6Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5nodejs Full support 6.0.0
continueChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
debuggerChrome Full support 5Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 4Opera Full support 10Safari Full support 5WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 4.2Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
do...whileChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 4Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
Empty statement (;)Chrome Full support 3Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 5WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 4.2Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
exportChrome Full support 61Edge Full support 16
Full support 16
Full support 15
Disabled
Disabled From version 15: this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript Features preference.
Firefox Full support 60
Full support 60
No support 54 — 60
Disabled
Disabled From version 54 until version 60 (exclusive): this feature is behind the dom.moduleScripts.enabled preference. To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
IE No support NoOpera Full support 48Safari Full support 10.1WebView Android No support NoChrome Android Full support 61Firefox Android Full support 60
Full support 60
No support 54 — 60
Disabled
Disabled From version 54 until version 60 (exclusive): this feature is behind the dom.moduleScripts.enabled preference. To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
Opera Android Full support 45Safari iOS Full support 10.3Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0nodejs Full support 13.2.0
Notes
Full support 13.2.0
Notes
Notes Modules must either have a filename ending in .mjs, or the nearest parent package.json file must contain "type": "module". See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Full support 12.0.0
Notes Disabled
Notes Modules must either have a filename ending in .mjs, or the nearest parent package.json file must contain "type": "module". See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Disabled From version 12.0.0: this feature is behind the --experimental-modules runtime flag.
Full support 8.5.0
Notes Disabled
Notes Module filenames must end with .mjs, not .js. See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Disabled From version 8.5.0: this feature is behind the --experimental-modules runtime flag.
forChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
for await...ofChrome Full support 63Edge Full support 79Firefox Full support 57IE No support NoOpera Full support 50Safari Full support 11WebView Android Full support 63Chrome Android Full support 63Firefox Android Full support 57Opera Android Full support 46Safari iOS Full support 11Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0nodejs Full support 10.0.0
Full support 10.0.0
No support 8.10.0 — 10.0.0
Disabled
Disabled From version 8.10.0 until version 10.0.0 (exclusive): this feature is behind the --harmony-async-iteration runtime flag.
for...inChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 6Opera Full support 2Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
for...ofChrome Full support 38Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 13
Notes
Full support 13
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 51, using the for...of loop construct with the const keyword threw a SyntaxError ("missing = in const declaration").
IE No support NoOpera Full support 25Safari Full support 7WebView Android Full support 38Chrome Android Full support 38Firefox Android Full support 14
Notes
Full support 14
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 51, using the for...of loop construct with the const keyword threw a SyntaxError ("missing = in const declaration").
Opera Android Full support 25Safari iOS Full support 7Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0nodejs Full support 0.12
functionChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
function*Chrome Full support 39Edge Full support 13Firefox Full support 26IE No support NoOpera Full support 26Safari Full support 10WebView Android Full support 39Chrome Android Full support 39Firefox Android Full support 26Opera Android Full support 26Safari iOS Full support 10Samsung Internet Android Full support 4.0nodejs Full support 4.0.0
Full support 4.0.0
Full support 0.12
Disabled
Disabled From version 0.12: this feature is behind the --harmony runtime flag.
if...elseChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
importChrome Full support 61Edge Full support 16
Full support 16
Full support 15
Disabled
Disabled From version 15: this feature is behind the Experimental JavaScript Features preference.
Firefox Full support 60
Full support 60
No support 54 — 60
Disabled
Disabled From version 54 until version 60 (exclusive): this feature is behind the dom.moduleScripts.enabled preference. To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
IE No support NoOpera Full support 48Safari Full support 10.1WebView Android Full support 61Chrome Android Full support 61Firefox Android Full support 60
Full support 60
No support 54 — 60
Disabled
Disabled From version 54 until version 60 (exclusive): this feature is behind the dom.moduleScripts.enabled preference. To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
Opera Android Full support 45Safari iOS Full support 10.3Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0nodejs Full support 13.2.0
Notes
Full support 13.2.0
Notes
Notes Modules must either have a filename ending in .mjs, or the nearest parent package.json file must contain "type": "module". See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Full support 12.0.0
Notes Disabled
Notes Modules must either have a filename ending in .mjs, or the nearest parent package.json file must contain "type": "module". See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Disabled From version 12.0.0: this feature is behind the --experimental-modules runtime flag.
Full support 8.5.0
Notes Disabled
Notes Module filenames must end with .mjs, not .js. See Node's ECMAScript Modules documentation for more details.
Disabled From version 8.5.0: this feature is behind the --experimental-modules runtime flag.
import.metaChrome Full support 64Edge Full support 79Firefox Full support 62IE No support NoOpera Full support 51Safari Full support 11.1WebView Android Full support 64Chrome Android Full support 64Firefox Android Full support 62Opera Android Full support 47Safari iOS Full support 12Samsung Internet Android Full support 9.0nodejs Full support 10.4.0
labelChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 4Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
letChrome Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 48 — 49
Notes Disabled
Notes Support outside of strict mode.
Disabled From version 48 until version 49 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Enable Experimental JavaScript Features preference. To change preferences in Chrome, visit chrome://flags.
No support 41 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
Edge Full support 14
Full support 14
No support 12 — 14
Notes
Notes In Edge 12 and 13, let within a for loop initializer does not create a separate variable for each loop iteration as defined by ES2015. Instead, it behaves as though the loop were wrapped in a scoping block with the let immediately before the loop.
Firefox Full support 44
Notes
Full support 44
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 44, let is only available to code blocks in HTML wrapped in a <script type="application/javascript;version=1.7"> block (or higher version) and has different semantics (e.g. no temporal dead zone).
Notes Prior to Firefox 46, a TypeError is thrown on redeclaration instead of a SyntaxError.
Notes Firefox 54 adds support of let in workers.
IE Partial support 11
Notes
Partial support 11
Notes
Notes In Internet Explorer, let within a for loop initializer does not create a separate variable for each loop iteration as defined by ES2015. Instead, it behaves as though the loop were wrapped in a scoping block with the let immediately before the loop.
Opera Full support 17Safari Full support 10WebView Android Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 41 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
Chrome Android Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 48 — 49
Notes Disabled
Notes Support outside of strict mode.
Disabled From version 48 until version 49 (exclusive): this feature is behind the Enable Experimental JavaScript Features preference. To change preferences in Chrome, visit chrome://flags.
No support 41 — 49
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
Firefox Android Full support 44
Notes
Full support 44
Notes
Notes Prior to Firefox 44, let is only available to code blocks in HTML wrapped in a <script type="application/javascript;version=1.7"> block (or higher version) and has different semantics (e.g. no temporal dead zone).
Notes Prior to Firefox 46, a TypeError is thrown on redeclaration instead of a SyntaxError.
Notes Firefox 54 adds support of let in workers.
Opera Android Full support 18Safari iOS Full support 10Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0
Full support 5.0
No support 4.0 — 5.0
Notes
Notes Strict mode is required.
nodejs Full support 6.0.0
returnChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
switchChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 4Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
throwChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 5Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
try...catchChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 5Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
varChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
whileChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 3Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100
with
Deprecated
Chrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 3Opera Full support 4Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100

Legend

Full support
Full support
Partial support
Partial support
No support
No support
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.
User must explicitly enable this feature.
User must explicitly enable this feature.

See also