Understanding ‘undefined’
What is ‘undefined’?
In JavaScript, ‘undefined’ is a primitive value that represents the absence of a value. It is one of the six primitive values in JavaScript, along with null, boolean, number, string, and symbol.
A variable that is declared but not assigned a value is assigned the value ‘undefined’. For example:
“`javascript
let myVariable;
console.log(myVariable); // undefined
“`
You can also explicitly assign the value ‘undefined’ to a variable:
“`javascript
let myVariable = undefined;
console.log(myVariable); // undefined
“`
When is ‘undefined’ used?
‘undefined’ is typically used to indicate that a variable has not been assigned a value. However, it can also be used in other situations, such as:
- As a return value from a function that does not return a value
- As a property of an object that does not exist
- As a parameter to a function that is not expected to be used
How to check for ‘undefined’
You can check for ‘undefined’ using the typeof operator:
“`javascript
if (typeof myVariable === ‘undefined’) {
// Do something
}
“`
Conclusion
‘undefined’ is a useful value in JavaScript that can be used to indicate the absence of a value. It is important to understand how ‘undefined’ is used in order to write correct and efficient JavaScript code.