How can you tell what type a value is, in JavaScript?
New Courses Coming Soon
Join the waiting lists
JavaScript has a few built-in types, including numbers, strings, booleans, objects.
Using the typeof
operator we can check what is the type of a value assigned to a variable.
For example:
typeof 'test'
Note that it’s not a function, it’s an operator, so parentheses are not required.
Using it, we will get a string back, returning one of the following values:
'number'
'string'
'boolean'
'undefined'
'bigint'
'symbol'
'object'
'function'
Note that there is no null
type, and
typeof null
will return 'object'
.
Arrays will return 'object'
too:
typeof [1, 2, 3] //'object'
Functions are a special kind of objects, as we can add properties and methods to functions:
const talk = () => {}
talk.test = true
but they have their own value 'function'
if we use the typeof
operator.
→ Get my JavaScript Beginner's Handbook
→ Read my
JavaScript Tutorials
on The Valley of Code
→ Read my
TypeScript Tutorial
on The Valley of Code
Here is how can I help you:
- COURSES where I teach everything I know
- CODING BOOTCAMP cohort course - next edition in 2025
- THE VALLEY OF CODE your web development manual
- BOOKS 17 coding ebooks you can download for free on JS Python C PHP and lots more
- Interesting links collection
- Follow me on X