SyntaxError: Unexpected token

The JavaScript exceptions "unexpected token" occur when a specific language construct was expected, but something else was provided. This might be a simple typo.

Message

SyntaxError: expected expression, got "x"
SyntaxError: expected property name, got "x"
SyntaxError: expected target, got "x"
SyntaxError: expected rest argument name, got "x"
SyntaxError: expected closing parenthesis, got "x"
SyntaxError: expected '=>' after argument list, got "x"

Error type

SyntaxError

What went wrong?

A specific language construct was expected, but something else was provided. This might be a simple typo.

Examples

Expression expected

For example, when chaining expressions, trailing commas are not allowed.

for (let i = 0; i < 5,; ++i) {
  console.log(i);
}
// SyntaxError: expected expression, got ')'

Correct would be omitting the comma or adding another expression:

for (let i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
  console.log(i);
}

Not enough brackets

Sometimes, you leave out brackets around if statements:

function round(n, upperBound, lowerBound){
  if(n > upperBound) || (n < lowerBound){
    throw 'Number ' + String(n) + ' is more than ' + String(upperBound) + ' or less than ' + String(lowerBound);
  }else if(n < ((upperBound + lowerBound)/2)){
    return lowerBound;
  }else{
    return upperBound;
  }
} // SyntaxError: expected expression, got '||'

The brackets may look correct at first, but note how the || is outside the brackets. Correct would be putting brackets around the ||:

function round(n, upperBound, lowerBound){
  if((n > upperBound) || (n < lowerBound)){
    throw 'Number ' + String(n) + ' is more than ' + String(upperBound) + ' or less than ' + String(lowerBound);
  }else if(n < ((upperBound + lowerBound)/2)){
    return lowerBound;
  }else{
    return upperBound;
  }
}

See also

• SyntaxError