How to write an inline IF statement in JavaScript? - Stack Overflow

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How can I use an inline if statement in JavaScript? Is there an inline else statement too?

Something like this:

var a = 2;
var b = 3;

if(a < b) {
    // do something
}

How can I use an inline if statement in JavaScript? Is there an inline else statement too?

Something like this:

var a = 2;
var b = 3;

if(a < b) {
    // do something
}

• javascript
• if-statement
• ternary-operator
• conditional-operator

Share Improve this question Follow edited May 10, 2013 at 8:37 Blowsie 40.5k1515 gold badges9191 silver badges110110 bronze badges asked Apr 22, 2012 at 17:37 takeItEasytakeItEasy 4,08122 gold badges1616 silver badges1010 bronze badges 4

• 13 Where's the jQuery here? And I don't really understand the question anyway. – Marc Commented Apr 22, 2012 at 17:39
• jquery part might be like this $(document).ready(function(){ var a = 2; var b = 3; if(a < b) { // do something } }); – takeItEasy Commented Apr 22, 2012 at 17:49
• its a knockoutjs question too – Martin Capodici Commented Jul 17, 2014 at 22:27
• 1 It's also an angular 1 and 2 and every other js framework (including vanilla.js) out there question – Ben Taliadoros Commented Oct 19, 2016 at 14:36

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17 Answers 17

Sorted by: Reset to default 847

You don't necessarily need jQuery. JavaScript alone will do this.

var a = 2;
var b = 3;    
var c = ((a < b) ? 'minor' : 'major');

The c variable will be minor if the value is true, and major if the value is false.

---

This is known as a Conditional (ternary) Operator.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Conditional_Operator

There is a ternary operator, like this:

var c = (a < b) ? "a is less than b"  : "a is not less than b";

For writing if statement inline, the code inside of it should only be one statement:

if ( a < b ) // code to be executed without curly braces;

You can also approximate an if/else using only Logical Operators.

(a && b) || c

The above is roughly the same as saying:

a ? b : c

And of course, roughly the same as:

if ( a ) { b } else { c }

I say roughly because there is one difference with this approach, in that you have to know that the value of b will evaluate as true, otherwise you will always get c. Bascially you have to realise that the part that would appear if () { here } is now part of the condition that you place if ( here ) { }.

The above is possible due to JavaScripts behaviour of passing / returning one of the original values that formed the logical expression, which one depends on the type of operator. Certain other languages, like PHP, carry on the actual result of the operation i.e. true or false, meaning the result is always true or false; e.g:

14 && 0          /// results as 0,  not false
14 || 0          /// results as 14, not true
1 && 2 && 3 && 4 /// results as 4,  not true
true && ''       /// results as ''
{} || '0'        /// results as {}

One main benefit, compared with a normal if statement, is that the first two methods can operate on the righthand-side of an argument i.e. as part of an assignment.

d = (a && b) || c;
d = a ? b : c;

if `a == true` then `d = b` else `d = c`

The only way to achieve this with a standard if statement would be to duplicate the assigment:

if ( a ) { d = b } else { d = c }

You may ask why use just Logical Operators instead of the Ternary Operator, for simple cases you probably wouldn't, unless you wanted to make sure a and b were both true. You can also achieve more streamlined complex conditions with the Logical operators, which can get quite messy using nested ternary operations... then again if you want your code to be easily readable, neither are really that intuative.

In plain English, the syntax explained:

if(condition){
    do_something_if_condition_is_met;
}
else{
    do_something_else_if_condition_is_not_met;
}

Can be written as:

condition ? do_something_if_condition_is_met : do_something_else_if_condition_is_not_met;

If you just want an inline IF (without the ELSE), you can use the logical AND operator:

(a < b) && /*your code*/;

If you need an ELSE also, use the ternary operation that the other people suggested.

<div id="ABLAHALAHOO">8008</div>
<div id="WABOOLAWADO">1110</div>

parseInt( $( '#ABLAHALAHOO' ).text()) > parseInt( $( '#WABOOLAWADO ).text()) ? alert( 'Eat potato' ) : alert( 'You starve' );

You could do like this in JavaScript:

a < b ? passed() : failed();

I often need to run more code per condition, by using: ( , , ) multiple code elements can execute:

var a = 2;
var b = 3;
var c = 0;

( a < b ?  ( alert('hi'), a=3, b=2, c=a*b ) : ( alert('by'), a=4, b=10, c=a/b ) );

FYI, you can compose conditional operators

var a = (truthy) ? 1 : (falsy) ? 2 : 3;

If your logic is sufficiently complex, then you might consider using an IIFE

var a = (function () {
  if (truthy) return 1;
  else if (falsy) return 2;
  return 3;
})();

Of course, if you plan to use this logic more than once, then you aught to encapsulate it in a function to keep things nice and DRY.

inline if:

(('hypothesis') ? 'truthy conclusion' : 'falsey conclusion')

truthy conclusion: statements executed when hypothesis is true

falsey conclusion: statements executed when hypothesis is false

your example:

var c = ((a < b) ? 'a<b statements' : '!(a<b) statements');

You can use the Ternary operator which equates to a simple if, else.

Ternary operation which calls functions for both outcomes:

(a < b) ? DoSomething() : DoSomethingElse();

Ternary operation which calls a function for only one of the outcomes:

(a < b) ? DoSomething() : {}; or (a < b)?.DoSomething();

To add to this you can also use inline if condition with && and || operators. Like this

var a = 2;
var b = 0;

var c = (a > b || b == 0)? "do something" : "do something else";

Inline if in JavaScript is simple and requires no braces:

if (a < b) doSomething()

Technically you can have an else in the same line, but it requires a semicolon:

if (a < b) doSomething(); else doSomethingElse()

The above examples may not be desired by your team's coding standards. The most important thing is that you follow conventions that work for your team. Personally, I prefer if statements over ternaries in many cases because I find them easier to read.

Isn't the question essentially: can I write the following?

if (foo)
  console.log(bar)
else
  console.log(foo + bar)

the answer is, yes, the above will translate.

however, be wary of doing the following

if (foo)
  if (bar)
    console.log(foo)
  else 
    console.log(bar)
else 
  console.log(foobar)

be sure to wrap ambiguous code in braces as the above will throw an exception (and similar permutations will produce undesired behaviour.)

Simplify ternary operator

var locked = 1;
var canChange = locked != 1 ? true : false;

If the locked is 1, then the canChange variable is set to false, otherwise, it is set to true. In this case, you can simplify it by using a Boolean expression as follows:

var locked = 1;
var canChange = locked != 1;

For multiple JavaScript ternary operators The following example shows how to use two ternary operators in the same expression:

var speed = 90;
var message = speed >= 120 ? 'Too Fast' : (speed >= 80 ? 'Fast' : 'OK');
console.log(message);

It is a best practice to use the ternary operator when it makes the code easier to read. If the logic contains many if...else statements, you shouldn’t use the ternary operators.

Nobody's used arrays:

alert([prompt("falsey condition?"), prompt("truthy condition?")][BigInt(Boolean(2 == 1))]);

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