JavaScript has 8 Datatypes

1. String
2. Number
3. Bigint
4. Boolean
5. Undefined
6. Null
7. Symbol
8. Object

The Object Datatype

The object data type can contain:

1. An object
2. An array
3. A date

Examples

// Numbers:
let length = 16;
let weight = 7.5;

// Strings:
let color = "Yellow";
let lastName = "Johnson";

// Booleans
let x = true;
let y = false;

// Object:
const person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe"};

// Array object:
const cars = ["Saab", "Volvo", "BMW"];

// Date object:
const date = new Date("2022-03-25");

Note

A JavaScript variable can hold any type of data.

The Concept of Data Types

In programming, data types is an important concept.

To be able to operate on variables, it is important to know something about the type.

Without data types, a computer cannot safely solve this:

let x = 16 + "Volvo";

Does it make any sense to add "Volvo" to sixteen? Will it produce an error or will it produce a result?

JavaScript will treat the example above as:

let x = "16" + "Volvo";

Note

When adding a number and a string, JavaScript will treat the number as a string.

Example

let x = 16 + "Volvo";

Example

let x = "Volvo" + 16;

JavaScript evaluates expressions from left to right. Different sequences can produce different results:

JavaScript:

let x = 16 + 4 + "Volvo";

Result:

20Volvo

JavaScript:

let x = "Volvo" + 16 + 4;

Result:

Volvo164

In the first example, JavaScript treats 16 and 4 as numbers, until it reaches "Volvo".

In the second example, since the first operand is a string, all operands are treated as strings.

JavaScript Types are Dynamic

JavaScript has dynamic types. This means that the same variable can be used to hold different data types:

Example

let x;       // Now x is undefined
x = 5;       // Now x is a Number
x = "John";  // Now x is a String

JavaScript Strings

A string (or a text string) is a series of characters like "John Doe".

Strings are written with quotes. You can use single or double quotes:

Example

// Using double quotes:
let carName1 = "Volvo XC60";

// Using single quotes:
let carName2 = 'Volvo XC60';

You can use quotes inside a string, as long as they don't match the quotes surrounding the string:

Example

// Single quote inside double quotes:
let answer1 = "It's alright";

// Single quotes inside double quotes:
let answer2 = "He is called 'Johnny'";

// Double quotes inside single quotes:
let answer3 = 'He is called "Johnny"';

You will learn more about strings later in this tutorial.

JavaScript Numbers

All JavaScript numbers are stored as decimal numbers (floating point).

Numbers can be written with, or without decimals:

Example

// With decimals:
let x1 = 34.00;

// Without decimals:
let x2 = 34;

Exponential Notation

Extra large or extra small numbers can be written with scientific (exponential) notation:

Example

let y = 123e5;    // 12300000
let z = 123e-5;   // 0.00123

Note

Most programming languages have many number types:

Whole numbers (integers):
byte (8-bit), short (16-bit), int (32-bit), long (64-bit)

Real numbers (floating-point):
float (32-bit), double (64-bit).

Javascript numbers are always one type:
double (64-bit floating point).

You will learn more about numbers later in this tutorial.

JavaScript BigInt

All JavaScript numbers are stored in a 64-bit floating-point format.

JavaScript BigInt is a new datatype (ES2020) that can be used to store integer values that are too big to be represented by a normal JavaScript Number.

Example

let x = BigInt("123456789012345678901234567890");

You will learn more about BigInt later in this tutorial.

JavaScript Booleans

Booleans can only have two values: true or false.

Example

let x = 5;
let y = 5;
let