Equality: == vs === - 33 JavaScript Concepts

Why does 1 == "1" return true but 1 === "1" return false? Why does typeof null return "object"? And why is NaN the only value in JavaScript that isn’t equal to itself?

// Same values, different results
console.log(1 == "1");   // true  — loose equality converts types
console.log(1 === "1");  // false — strict equality checks type first

// The famous quirks
console.log(typeof null);  // "object" — a bug from 1995!
console.log(NaN === NaN);  // false — NaN never equals anything

Understanding JavaScript’s equality operators is crucial because comparison bugs are among the most common in JavaScript code. According to the ECMAScript specification (ECMA-262), JavaScript defines three distinct equality algorithms: Abstract Equality, Strict Equality, and SameValue. This guide will teach you exactly how ==, ===, and Object.is() work, and when to use each one.

What you’ll learn in this guide:

The difference between == (loose) and === (strict) equality
How JavaScript converts values during loose equality comparisons
The typeof operator and its famous quirks (including the null bug)
When to use Object.is() for edge cases like NaN and -0
Common comparison mistakes and how to avoid them
A simple rule: when to use which operator

Prerequisites: This guide assumes you understand Primitive Types and Type Coercion. Equality operators rely heavily on how JavaScript converts types. If those concepts are new to you, read those guides first!

The Three Equality Operators: Overview

JavaScript provides three ways to compare values for equality. Here’s the quick summary:

Operator	Name	Type Coercion	Best For
`==`	Loose (Abstract) Equality	Yes	Checking `null`/`undefined` only
`===`	Strict Equality	No	Default choice for everything
`Object.is()`	Same-Value Equality	No	Edge cases (`NaN`, `±0`)

// The same comparison, three different results
const num = 1;
const str = "1";

console.log(num == str);           // true  (coerces string to number)
console.log(num === str);          // false (different types)
console.log(Object.is(num, str));  // false (different types)

The simple rule: Always use === for comparisons. The only exception: use == null to check if a value is empty (null or undefined). You’ll rarely need Object.is(). It’s for special cases we’ll cover later.

The Teacher Grading Papers: A Real-World Analogy

Imagine a teacher grading a math test. The question asks: “What is 2 + 2?” One student writes: 4
Another student writes: "4" (as text)
A third student writes: 4.0 How strict should the teacher be when grading?

        RELAXED GRADING (==)                  STRICT GRADING (===)
      "Is the answer correct?"              "Is it exactly right?"
    
    ┌─────────────┐   ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐   ┌─────────────┐
    │      4      │ = │    "4"      │    │      4      │ ≠ │    "4"      │
    │  (number)   │   │  (string)   │    │  (number)   │   │  (string)   │
    └─────────────┘   └─────────────┘    └─────────────┘   └─────────────┘
          │                 │                  │                 │
          └────────┬────────┘                  └────────┬────────┘
                   ▼                                    ▼
          "Close enough!" ✓                    "Different types!" ✗

JavaScript gives you both types of teachers:

Loose equality (==) — The relaxed teacher. Accepts 4 and "4" as the same answer because the meaning is similar. Converts values to match before comparing.
Strict equality (===) — The strict teacher. Only accepts the exact answer in the exact format. The number 4 and the string "4" are different answers.
typeof — Asks “What kind of answer is this?” Is it a number? A string? Something else?
Object.is() — The most precise teacher. Even stricter than === — can spot tiny differences that others miss.

TL;DR: Use === for almost everything. Use == null to check for both null and undefined. Use Object.is() only for NaN or -0 edge cases.

Loose Equality (`==`): The Relaxed Comparison

The == operator tries to be helpful. Before comparing two values, it converts them to the same type. This automatic conversion is called type coercion. For example, if you compare the number 5 with the string "5", JavaScript thinks: “These look similar. Let me convert them and check.” So 5 == "5" returns true.

How It Works

When you write x == y, JavaScript asks:

Are x and y the same type? → Compare them directly
Are they different types? → Convert one or both to match, then compare

This automatic conversion can be helpful, but it can also cause unexpected results.

The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm

Here’s the complete algorithm from the ECMAScript specification. When comparing x == y:

Same Type?

If x and y are the same type, perform strict equality comparison (===).

5 == 5           // Same type (number), compare directly → true
"hello" == "hello"  // Same type (string), compare directly → true

null and undefined

If x is null and y is undefined (or vice versa), return true.

null == undefined    // true (special case!)
undefined == null    // true

Number and String

If one is a Number and the other is a String, convert the String to a Number.

== "5"    // "5" → 5, then 5 == 5 → true
== ""     // "" → 0, then 0 == 0 → true
== "42"  // "42" → 42, then 42 == 42 → true

BigInt and String

If one is a BigInt and the other is a String, convert the String to a BigInt.

10n == "10"   // "10" → 10n, then 10n == 10n → true

Boolean Conversion

If either value is a Boolean, convert it to a Number (true → 1, false → 0).

true == 1     // true → 1, then 1 == 1 → true
false == 0    // false → 0, then 0 == 0 → true
true == "1"   // true → 1, then 1 == "1" → 1 == 1 → true

Object to Primitive

If one is an Object and the other is a String, Number, BigInt, or Symbol, convert the Object to a primitive using ToPrimitive.

[1] == 1       // [1] → "1" → 1, then 1 == 1 → true
[""] == 0      // [""] → "" → 0, then 0 == 0 → true

BigInt and Number

If one is a BigInt and the other is a Number, compare their mathematical values.

10n == 10      // Compare values: 10 == 10 → true
10n == 10.5    // 10 !== 10.5 → false

No Match

If none of the above rules apply, return false.

null == 0             // false (null only equals undefined)
undefined == 0        // false
Symbol() == Symbol()  // false (Symbols are always unique)

Visual: The Coercion Decision Tree

                              x == y
                                 │
                    ┌────────────┴────────────┐
                    ▼                         ▼
               Same type?                Different types?
                    │                         │
                   YES                       YES
                    │                         │
                    ▼                         ▼
            Compare values           ┌────────┴────────┐
            (like ===)               │                 │
                                     ▼                 ▼
                              null == undefined?   Apply coercion
                                     │              rules above
                                    YES                 │
                                     │                  ▼
                                     ▼             Convert types
                                   true            then compare
                                                     again

The Complete Coercion Rules Table

Type of x	Type of y	Coercion Applied
Number	String	`ToNumber(y)` — String becomes Number
String	Number	`ToNumber(x)` — String becomes Number
BigInt	String	`ToBigInt(y)` — String becomes BigInt
String	BigInt	`ToBigInt(x)` — String becomes BigInt
Boolean	Any	`ToNumber(x)` — Boolean becomes Number (0 or 1)
Any	Boolean	`ToNumber(y)` — Boolean becomes Number (0 or 1)
Object	String/Number/BigInt/Symbol	`ToPrimitive(x)` — Object becomes primitive
String/Number/BigInt/Symbol	Object	`ToPrimitive(y)` — Object becomes primitive
BigInt	Number	Compare mathematical values directly
Number	BigInt	Compare mathematical values directly
null	undefined	`true` (special case)
undefined	null	`true` (special case)
null	Any (except undefined)	`false`
undefined	Any (except null)	`false`

Surprising Results Gallery

Here are some comparison results that surprise most developers. Understanding why these happen will help you avoid bugs in your code:

String & Number
Boolean Coercion
null & undefined
Arrays & Objects

// String converted to Number
1 == "1"              // true  ("1" → 1)
0 == ""               // true  ("" → 0)
0 == "0"              // true  ("0" → 0)
100 == "1e2"          // true  ("1e2" → 100)

// But string-to-string is direct comparison
"" == "0"             // false (both strings, different values)

// NaN conversions (NaN is "Not a Number")
NaN == "NaN"          // false (NaN ≠ anything, including itself)
0 == "hello"          // false ("hello" → NaN, 0 ≠ NaN)

// Booleans become 0 or 1 FIRST
true == 1             // true  (true → 1)
false == 0            // true  (false → 0)
true == "1"           // true  (true → 1, "1" → 1)
false == ""           // true  (false → 0, "" → 0)

// This is why these are confusing:
true == "true"        // false! (true → 1, "true" → NaN)
false == "false"      // false! (false → 0, "false" → NaN)

// And these seem wrong:
true == 2             // false (true → 1, 1 ≠ 2)
true == "2"           // false (true → 1, "2" → 2, 1 ≠ 2)

Common trap: true == "true" is false! The boolean true becomes 1, and the string "true" becomes NaN. Since 1 ≠ NaN, the result is false.

// The special relationship
null == undefined     // true  (special rule!)
undefined == null     // true

// But they don't equal anything else
null == 0             // false
null == false         // false
null == ""            // false
undefined == 0        // false
undefined == false    // false
undefined == ""       // false

// This is actually useful!
let value = null;
if (value == null) {
  // Catches both null AND undefined
  console.log("Value is nullish");
}

This is the ONE legitimate use case for ==. Using value == null checks for both null and undefined in a single comparison.

// Arrays convert via ToPrimitive (usually toString)
[] == false           // true  ([] → "" → 0, false → 0)
[] == 0               // true  ([] → "" → 0)
[] == ""              // true  ([] → "")
[1] == 1              // true  ([1] → "1" → 1)
[1] == "1"            // true  ([1] → "1")
[1,2] == "1,2"        // true  ([1,2] → "1,2")

// Empty array gotcha
[] == ![]             // true! (see explanation below)

// Objects with valueOf/toString
let obj = { valueOf: () => 42 };
obj == 42             // true  (obj.valueOf() → 42)

Step-by-Step Trace: `[] == ![]`

This is one of JavaScript’s most surprising results. An empty array [] equals ![]? Let’s break down why this happens step by step:

Evaluate ![]

First, JavaScript evaluates ![].

[] is truthy (all objects are truthy)
![] therefore equals false
Now we have: [] == false

Boolean to Number

One side is a Boolean, so convert it to a Number.

false → 0
Now we have: [] == 0

Object to Primitive

One side is an Object, so convert it via ToPrimitive.

[] → "" (empty array’s toString returns empty string)
Now we have: "" == 0

String to Number

One side is a String and one is a Number, so convert the String.

"" → 0 (empty string becomes 0)
Now we have: 0 == 0

Final Comparison

Both sides are Numbers with the same value.

0 == 0 → true

// The chain of conversions:
[] == ![]
[] == false      // ![] → false
[] == 0          // false → 0
"" == 0          // [] → ""
0 == 0           // "" → 0
true             // 0 equals 0!

This example shows why == can produce unexpected results. An empty array appears to equal its own negation! This isn’t a bug. It’s how JavaScript’s conversion rules work. This is why most developers prefer ===.

When `==` Might Be Useful

Despite its quirks, there’s one legitimate use case for loose equality:

// Checking for null OR undefined in one comparison
function greet(name) {
  // Using == (the one acceptable use case!)
  if (name == null) {
    return "Hello, stranger!";
  }
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

// Both null and undefined are caught
greet(null);       // "Hello, stranger!"
greet(undefined);  // "Hello, stranger!"
greet("Alice");    // "Hello, Alice!"
greet("");         // "Hello, !"  (empty string is NOT null)
greet(0);          // "Hello, 0!" (0 is NOT null)

This is equivalent to the more verbose:

function greet(name) {
  if (name === null || name === undefined) {
    return "Hello, stranger!";
  }
  return `Hello, ${name}!`;
}

Many style guides (including those from Airbnb and StandardJS) make an exception for value == null because it’s a clean way to check for “nullish” values. However, you can also use the nullish coalescing operator (??) or optional chaining (?.) introduced in ES2020.

Strict Equality (`===`): The Reliable Choice

The strict equality operator compares two values without any conversion. If the types are different, it immediately returns false. This is the operator you should use almost always. It’s simple and predictable: the number 1 and the string "1" are different types, so 1 === "1" returns false. No surprises.

How It Works

When you write x === y, JavaScript asks:

Are x and y the same type? No → return false
Same type? → Compare their values

That’s it. No conversions, no surprises (well, almost. There’s one special case with NaN).

The Strict Equality Comparison Algorithm

Type Check

If x and y are different types, return false immediately.

1 === "1"         // false (number vs string)
true === 1        // false (boolean vs number)
null === undefined // false (null vs undefined)

Number Comparison

If both are Numbers:

If either is NaN, return false
If both are the same numeric value, return true
+0 and -0 are considered equal

42 === 42         // true
NaN === NaN       // false (!)
+0 === -0         // true
Infinity === Infinity  // true

String Comparison

If both are Strings, return true if they have the same characters in the same order.

"hello" === "hello"   // true
"hello" === "Hello"   // false (case sensitive)
"hello" === "hello "  // false (different length)

Boolean Comparison

If both are Booleans, return true if they’re both true or both false.

true === true     // true
false === false   // true
true === false    // false

BigInt Comparison

If both are BigInts, return true if they have the same mathematical value.

10n === 10n       // true
10n === 20n       // false

Symbol Comparison

If both are Symbols, return true only if they are the exact same Symbol.

const sym = Symbol("id");
sym === sym               // true
Symbol("id") === Symbol("id")  // false (different symbols!)

Object Comparison (Reference)

If both are Objects (including Arrays and Functions), return true only if they are the same object (same reference in memory).

const obj = { a: 1 };
obj === obj       // true (same reference)
{ a: 1 } === { a: 1 }  // false (different objects!)
[] === []         // false (different arrays!)

null and undefined

null === null returns true. undefined === undefined returns true. But null === undefined returns false (different types).

null === null           // true
undefined === undefined // true
null === undefined      // false

Visual: Strict Equality Flowchart

                           x === y
                              │
              ┌───────────────┴───────────────┐
              │          Same type?           │
              └───────────────┬───────────────┘
                     │                 │
                    NO                YES
                     │                 │
                     ▼                 ▼
                  false          Both NaN?
                                      │
                              ┌───────┴───────┐
                             YES              NO
                              │               │
                              ▼               ▼
                           false        Same value?
                     (NaN never equals         │
                        anything!)     ┌───────┴───────┐
                                      YES              NO
                                       │               │
                                       ▼               ▼
                                     true           false

The Predictable Results

With ===, what you see is what you get:

// All of these are false (different types)
1 === "1"              // false
0 === ""               // false
true === 1             // false
false === 0            // false
null === undefined     // false
[] === ""              // false

// All of these are true (same type, same value)
1 === 1                // true
"hello" === "hello"    // true
true === true          // true
null === null          // true
undefined === undefined // true

Special Cases: Two Exceptions to Know

Even === has two edge cases that might surprise you:

NaN !== NaN
+0 === -0

// NaN is the only value that is not equal to itself
NaN === NaN           // false!

// NaN doesn't equal anything, not even itself!
// This is part of how numbers work in all programming languages

// This is by design (IEEE 754 specification)
// NaN represents "Not a Number" - an undefined result
// Since it's not a specific number, it can't equal anything

// How to check for NaN:
Number.isNaN(NaN)     // true (recommended)
isNaN(NaN)            // true (but has quirks — see below)
Object.is(NaN, NaN)   // true (ES6)

// The isNaN() quirk:
isNaN("hello")        // true! (converts to NaN first)
Number.isNaN("hello") // false (no conversion)

Always use Number.isNaN() instead of the global isNaN(). The global isNaN() function converts its argument to a Number first, which means isNaN("hello") returns true. That’s rarely what you want.

// Positive zero and negative zero are considered equal
+0 === -0             // true
-0 === 0              // true

// But they ARE different! Watch this:
1 / +0                // Infinity
1 / -0                // -Infinity

// Two zeros, two different infinities. Math is wild.

// How to distinguish them:
Object.is(+0, -0)     // false (ES6)
1 / +0 === 1 / -0     // false (Infinity vs -Infinity)

// When does -0 appear?
0 * -1                // -0
Math.sign(-0)         // -0
JSON.parse("-0")      // -0

You’ll rarely need to tell +0 and -0 apart unless you’re doing advanced math or physics calculations.

Object Comparison: Reference vs Value

This is one of the most important concepts to understand:

// Objects are compared by REFERENCE, not by value
const obj1 = { name: "Alice" };
const obj2 = { name: "Alice" };
const obj3 = obj1;

obj1 === obj2    // false (different objects in memory)
obj1 === obj3    // true  (same reference)

// Same with arrays
const arr1 = [1, 2, 3];
const arr2 = [1, 2, 3];
const arr3 = arr1;

arr1 === arr2    // false (different arrays)
arr1 === arr3    // true  (same reference)

// And functions
const fn1 = () => {};
const fn2 = () => {};
const fn3 = fn1;

fn1 === fn2      // false (different functions)
fn1 === fn3      // true  (same reference)

MEMORY VISUALIZATION:

obj1 ──────┐
           ├──► { name: "Alice" }    (Object A)
obj3 ──────┘

obj2 ──────────► { name: "Alice" }   (Object B)

obj1 === obj3 → true  (both point to Object A)
obj1 === obj2 → false (different objects, even with same content)

To compare objects by their content (deep equality), you need to:

Use JSON.stringify() for simple objects (has limitations)
Write a recursive comparison function
Use a library like Lodash’s _.isEqual()

`Object.is()`: Same-Value Equality

ES6 introduced Object.is() to fix the two edge cases where === gives unexpected results. As documented by MDN, Object.is() implements the “SameValue” algorithm from the ECMAScript specification. It works exactly like ===, but handles NaN and -0 correctly.

Why It Exists

// The two cases where === is "wrong"
NaN === NaN       // false (but NaN IS NaN!)
+0 === -0         // true  (but they ARE different!)

// Object.is() fixes both
Object.is(NaN, NaN)   // true ✓
Object.is(+0, -0)     // false ✓

How It Differs from `===`

Object.is() behaves exactly like === except for these two cases:

Expression	`===`	`Object.is()`
`NaN, NaN`	`false`	`true`
`+0, -0`	`true`	`false`
`-0, 0`	`true`	`false`
`1, 1`	`true`	`true`
`"a", "a"`	`true`	`true`
`null, null`	`true`	`true`
`{}, {}`	`false`	`false`

Complete Comparison Table

Values	`==`	`===`	`Object.is()`
`1, "1"`	`true`	`false`	`false`
`0, false`	`true`	`false`	`false`
`null, undefined`	`true`	`false`	`false`
`NaN, NaN`	`false`	`false`	`true`
`+0, -0`	`true`	`true`	`false`
`[], []`	`false`	`false`	`false`
`{}, {}`	`false`	`false`	`false`

When to Use `Object.is()`

// 1. Checking for NaN (alternative to Number.isNaN)
function isReallyNaN(value) {
  return Object.is(value, NaN);
}

// 2. Distinguishing +0 from -0 (rare, but needed in math/physics)
function isNegativeZero(value) {
  return Object.is(value, -0);
}

// 3. Implementing SameValue comparison (like in Map/Set)
// Maps use SameValueZero (like Object.is but +0 === -0)
const map = new Map();
map.set(NaN, "value");
map.get(NaN);  // "value" (NaN works as a key!)

// 4. Library code and polyfills
// When you need exact specification compliance

For most everyday code, you won’t need Object.is(). Use === as your default, and reach for Object.is() only when you specifically need to handle NaN or ±0 edge cases.

The `typeof` Operator

The typeof operator tells you what type a value is. It returns a string like "number", "string", or "boolean". The 2023 State of JS survey found that TypeScript adoption continues to grow — partly driven by developers seeking to avoid the type-checking pitfalls that typeof alone cannot solve. It’s very useful, but it has some famous quirks that surprise many developers.

How It Works

typeof operand
typeof(operand)  // Both forms are valid

Complete Results Table

Value	`typeof` Result	Notes
`"hello"`	`"string"`
`42`	`"number"`	Includes `Infinity`, `NaN`
`42n`	`"bigint"`	ES2020
`true` / `false`	`"boolean"`
`undefined`	`"undefined"`
`Symbol()`	`"symbol"`	ES6
`null`	`"object"`	Famous bug!
`{}`	`"object"`
`[]`	`"object"`	Arrays are objects
`function(){}`	`"function"`	Special case
`class {}`	`"function"`	Classes are functions
`new Date()`	`"object"`
`/regex/`	`"object"`

The Famous Quirks

typeof null === 'object' — A Famous Bug

typeof null    // "object" — Wait, what?!

Why? This is a bug from JavaScript’s first version in 1995. In the original code, values were stored with a type tag. Objects had the tag 000, and null was represented as 0x00, which also matched the object tag.Why wasn’t it fixed? Too much existing code depends on this behavior. Changing it now would break millions of websites. So we have to work around it.Workaround:

// Always check for null explicitly
function getType(value) {
  if (value === null) return "null";
  return typeof value;
}

// Or check for "real" objects
if (value !== null && typeof value === "object") {
  // It's definitely an object (not null)
}

Arrays Return 'object'

typeof []           // "object"
typeof [1, 2, 3]    // "object"
typeof new Array()  // "object"

Why? Arrays ARE objects in JavaScript. They inherit from Object.prototype and have special behavior for numeric keys and the length property, but they’re still objects.How to check for arrays:

Array.isArray([])           // true (recommended)
Array.isArray({})           // false
Array.isArray("hello")      // false

// Or using Object.prototype.toString
Object.prototype.toString.call([])  // "[object Array]"

Use Array.isArray(). It’s the most reliable method.

Functions Return 'function'

typeof function() {}    // "function"
typeof (() => {})       // "function"
typeof class {}         // "function"
typeof Math.sin         // "function"

Why is this different? Functions are technically objects too, but typeof treats them specially because checking for “callable” values is so common. This is actually convenient!

// This makes checking for functions easy
if (typeof callback === "function") {
  callback();
}

typeof on Undeclared Variables

// Referencing an undeclared variable throws an error
console.log(undeclaredVar);  // ReferenceError!

// But typeof on an undeclared variable returns "undefined"
typeof undeclaredVar         // "undefined" (no error!)

Why? This was a design decision to allow safe feature detection:

// Safe way to check if a global exists
if (typeof jQuery !== "undefined") {
  // jQuery is available
}

// vs. this would throw if jQuery doesn't exist
if (jQuery !== undefined) {
  // ReferenceError if jQuery not defined!
}

In modern JavaScript with modules and bundlers, this pattern is less necessary. But it’s still useful for checking global variables and browser features.

NaN is a 'number' — Yes, Really

typeof NaN          // "number"

“Not a Number” has a typeof of "number". This sounds strange, but NaN is actually a special value in the number system. It represents a calculation that doesn’t have a valid result, like 0 / 0.

// These all produce NaN
0 / 0              // NaN
parseInt("hello")  // NaN
Math.sqrt(-1)      // NaN

// Check for NaN properly
Number.isNaN(NaN)  // true

Better Alternatives for Type Checking

Since typeof has limitations, here are more reliable approaches:

Type-Specific Checks
instanceof
Object.prototype.toString
Custom Type Checker

// Arrays
Array.isArray(value)           // true for arrays only

// NaN
Number.isNaN(value)            // true for NaN only (no coercion)

// Finite numbers
Number.isFinite(value)         // true for finite numbers

// Integers
Number.isInteger(value)        // true for integers

// Safe integers
Number.isSafeInteger(value)    // true for safe integers

These methods from Number are more reliable than typeof for numeric checks.

The instanceof operator checks if an object is an instance of a constructor:

// Check if an object is an instance of a constructor
[] instanceof Array            // true
{} instanceof Object           // true
new Date() instanceof Date     // true
/regex/ instanceof RegExp      // true

// Works with custom classes
class Person {}
const p = new Person();
p instanceof Person            // true

// Caveat: doesn't work across iframes/realms
// The Array in iframe A is different from Array in iframe B

The Object.prototype.toString method is the most reliable for getting precise type information:

const getType = (value) => 
  Object.prototype.toString.call(value).slice(8, -1);

getType(null)           // "Null"
getType(undefined)      // "Undefined"
getType([])             // "Array"
getType({})             // "Object"
getType(new Date())     // "Date"
getType(/regex/)        // "RegExp"
getType(new Map())      // "Map"
getType(new Set())      // "Set"
getType(Promise.resolve()) // "Promise"
getType(function(){})   // "Function"
getType(42)             // "Number"
getType("hello")        // "String"
getType(Symbol())       // "Symbol"
getType(42n)            // "BigInt"

A comprehensive type-checking utility:

function getType(value) {
  // Handle null specially (typeof bug)
  if (value === null) return "null";
  
  // Handle primitives
  const type = typeof value;
  if (type !== "object" && type !== "function") {
    return type;
  }
  
  // Handle objects with Object.prototype.toString
  const tag = Object.prototype.toString.call(value);
  return tag.slice(8, -1).toLowerCase();
}

// Usage
getType(null)           // "null"
getType([])             // "array"
getType({})             // "object"
getType(new Date())     // "date"
getType(/regex/)        // "regexp"
getType(new Map())      // "map"
getType(Promise.resolve()) // "promise"

Decision Guide: Which to Use?

The Simple Rule

Default to === for all comparisons. It’s predictable, doesn’t perform type coercion, and will save you from countless bugs.The only exception: Use == null to check for both null and undefined in one comparison.

Decision Flowchart

                    Need to compare two values?
                              │
                              ▼
              ┌───────────────────────────────┐
              │ Checking for null/undefined?  │
              └───────────────────────────────┘
                      │               │
                     YES              NO
                      │               │
                      ▼               ▼
               ┌──────────┐   ┌───────────────────┐
               │ == null  │   │ Need NaN or ±0?   │
               └──────────┘   └───────────────────┘
                                  │           │
                                 YES          NO
                                  │           │
                                  ▼           ▼
                            ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐
                            │Object.is │ │   ===   │
                            │    or    │ └─────────┘
                            │Number.   │
                            │ isNaN()  │
                            └──────────┘

Quick Reference

Scenario	Use	Example
Default comparison	`===`	`if (x === 5)`
Check nullish	`== null`	`if (value == null)`
Check NaN	`Number.isNaN()`	`if (Number.isNaN(x))`
Check array	`Array.isArray()`	`if (Array.isArray(x))`
Check type	`typeof`	`if (typeof x === "string")`
Distinguish ±0	`Object.is()`	`Object.is(x, -0)`

ESLint Configuration

Most style guides enforce === with an exception for null checks:

// .eslintrc.js
module.exports = {
  rules: {
    // Require === and !== except for null comparisons
    "eqeqeq": ["error", "always", { "null": "ignore" }]
  }
};

This allows:

// Allowed
if (value === 5) { }      // Using ===
if (value == null) { }    // Exception for null

// Error
if (value == 5) { }       // Should use ===

Common Gotchas and Mistakes

These common mistakes trip up many JavaScript developers. Learning about them now will save you debugging time later:

1. Comparing Objects by Value

The mistake:

const user1 = { name: "Alice" };
const user2 = { name: "Alice" };

if (user1 === user2) {
  console.log("Same user!");  // Never runs!
}

Why it’s wrong: Objects are compared by reference, not by value. Two objects with identical content are still different objects.The fix:

// Option 1: Compare specific properties
if (user1.name === user2.name) {
  console.log("Same name!");
}

// Option 2: JSON.stringify (simple objects only)
if (JSON.stringify(user1) === JSON.stringify(user2)) {
  console.log("Same content!");
}

// Option 3: Deep equality function or library
import { isEqual } from 'lodash';
if (isEqual(user1, user2)) {
  console.log("Same content!");
}

2. Truthy/Falsy Confusion with ==

The mistake:

// These all behave unexpectedly
if ([] == false) { }      // true! (but [] is truthy)
if ("0" == false) { }     // true! (but "0" is truthy)
if (" " == false) { }     // false (but " " is truthy)

Why it’s confusing: The == operator doesn’t check truthiness. It performs type coercion according to specific rules.The fix:

// Use === for explicit comparisons
if (value === false) { }  // Only true for actual false

// Or check truthiness directly
if (!value) { }           // Falsy check
if (value) { }            // Truthy check

// For explicit boolean conversion
if (Boolean(value) === false) { }

3. NaN Comparisons

The mistake:

const result = parseInt("hello");

if (result === NaN) {
  console.log("Not a number!");  // Never runs!
}

Why it’s wrong: NaN is never equal to anything, including itself.The fix:

// Use Number.isNaN()
if (Number.isNaN(result)) {
  console.log("Not a number!");  // Works!
}

// Or Object.is()
if (Object.is(result, NaN)) {
  console.log("Not a number!");  // Works!
}

// Avoid isNaN() - it coerces first
isNaN("hello")         // true (coerces to NaN)
Number.isNaN("hello")  // false (no coercion)

4. The typeof null Trap

The mistake:

function processObject(obj) {
  if (typeof obj === "object") {
    // Might be null!
    console.log(obj.property);  // TypeError if null!
  }
}

processObject(null);  // Crashes!

Why it’s wrong: typeof null === "object" is true due to a historical bug.The fix:

function processObject(obj) {
  // Check for null AND typeof
  if (obj !== null && typeof obj === "object") {
    console.log(obj.property);
  }
  
  // Or use optional chaining (ES2020)
  console.log(obj?.property);
}

5. String Comparison Gotchas

The mistake:

// Comparing numbers as strings
console.log("10" > "9");    // false! (string comparison)

// Why? Strings compare character by character
// "1" (code 49) < "9" (code 57)

Why it’s wrong: String comparison uses lexicographic order (like a dictionary), not numeric value.The fix:

// Convert to numbers first
console.log(Number("10") > Number("9"));  // true
console.log(+"10" > +"9");                // true (unary +)
console.log(parseInt("10") > parseInt("9")); // true

// For sorting arrays of number strings
["10", "9", "2"].sort((a, b) => a - b);  // ["2", "9", "10"]

6. Empty Array Comparisons

The mistake:

const arr = [];

// These seem contradictory
console.log(arr == false);    // true
console.log(arr ? "yes" : "no");  // "yes"

// So arr equals false but is truthy?!

Why it’s confusing: == uses type coercion ([] → "" → 0), but truthiness just checks if the value is truthy (all objects are truthy).The fix:

// Check array length for "emptiness"
if (arr.length === 0) {
  console.log("Array is empty");
}

// Or use the array itself as a boolean
// (but remember, empty array is truthy!)
if (!arr.length) {
  console.log("Array is empty");
}

Common Misconceptions

Misconception 1: '== is always bad and should never be used'

Not quite! While === should be your default, there’s one legitimate use case for ==:

// The one acceptable use of ==
if (value == null) {
  // Catches both null AND undefined
}

// Equivalent to:
if (value === null || value === undefined) {
  // Same result, but more verbose
}

This is cleaner than checking for both values separately and is explicitly allowed by most style guides (including ESLint’s eqeqeq rule with the "null": "ignore" option).

Misconception 2: '=== checks if types are the same'

Partially wrong! === doesn’t just check types. It checks if two values are the same type AND same value.

// Same type, different values → false
5 === 10          // false (both numbers, different values)
"hello" === "hi"  // false (both strings, different values)

// Different types → immediately false
5 === "5"         // false (no value comparison even attempted)

The key point: === returns false immediately if types differ, then compares values if types match.

Misconception 3: 'typeof is reliable for checking all types'

Wrong! typeof has several well-known quirks:

typeof null         // "object" — famous bug from 1995!
typeof []           // "object" — arrays are objects
typeof NaN          // "number" — Not-a-Number is a number type
typeof function(){} // "function" — but functions ARE objects!

Better alternatives:

Use Array.isArray() for arrays
Use value === null for null
Use Number.isNaN() for NaN
Use Object.prototype.toString.call() for precise type detection

Misconception 4: 'Objects with the same content are equal'

Wrong! Objects (including arrays and functions) are compared by reference, not by content:

{ a: 1 } === { a: 1 }  // false — different objects in memory!
[] === []              // false — different arrays!
(() => {}) === (() => {})  // false — different functions!

const obj = { a: 1 };
obj === obj            // true — same reference

To compare object contents, use JSON.stringify() for simple cases or a deep equality function like Lodash’s _.isEqual().

Misconception 5: 'NaN means the value is not a number'

Misleading! NaN is actually a numeric value that represents an undefined or unrepresentable mathematical result:

typeof NaN  // "number" — NaN IS a number type!

// NaN appears from invalid math operations
0 / 0           // NaN
Math.sqrt(-1)   // NaN
parseInt("xyz") // NaN
Infinity - Infinity  // NaN

Think of NaN as “the result of a calculation that doesn’t produce a meaningful number” rather than literally “not a number.”

Misconception 6: 'Truthy values are == true'

Wrong! Truthy/falsy and == equality are completely different concepts:

// These are truthy but NOT == true
"hello" == true   // false! ("hello" → NaN, true → 1)
2 == true         // false! (2 !== 1)
[] == true        // false! ([] → "" → 0, true → 1)

// But they ARE truthy
if ("hello") { }  // executes
if (2) { }        // executes
if ([]) { }       // executes

Rule: Don’t use == true or == false. Either use === or just rely on truthiness directly: if (value).

Key Takeaways

The key things to remember about Equality Operators:

Use === by default — It’s predictable and doesn’t convert types
== converts types first — This leads to unexpected results like "0" == false being true
Only use == for null checks — value == null checks for both null and undefined
NaN !== NaN — NaN doesn’t equal anything, not even itself. Use Number.isNaN() to check for it
Objects compare by reference — {} === {} is false because they’re different objects in memory
typeof null === "object" — This is a bug that can’t be fixed. Always check for null directly
Object.is() for edge cases — Use it when you need to check for NaN or distinguish +0 from -0
Arrays return "object" from typeof — Use Array.isArray() to check for arrays
These rules are commonly asked in interviews — Now you’re prepared!
Configure ESLint — Use the eqeqeq rule to enforce === in your projects

Interactive Visualization Tool

The best way to internalize JavaScript’s equality rules is to see all the comparisons at once.

JavaScript Equality Table

Interactive comparison table by dorey showing the results of == and === for all type combinations. Hover over cells to see explanations. An essential reference for understanding JavaScript equality!

Try these in the table:

Compare [] with false, 0, "", and ![] to see why [] == ![] is true
See why null == undefined is true but neither equals 0 or false
Observe how NaN never equals anything (including itself)
Notice how objects only equal themselves (same reference)

Bookmark this table! It’s invaluable for debugging comparison issues and preparing for technical interviews.

Test Your Knowledge

Try to answer each question before revealing the solution:

Question 1: What is the output of [] == ![] ?

Answer: trueStep-by-step:

![] → false (arrays are truthy, so negation makes false)
[] == false → [] == 0 (boolean converts to number)
[] == 0 → "" == 0 (array converts to empty string)
"" == 0 → 0 == 0 (string converts to number)
0 == 0 → true

This is why understanding type conversion is so important!

Question 2: Why does typeof null return 'object'?

Answer: This is a bug from JavaScript’s original implementation in 1995.In the original C code, values were represented with a type tag. Objects had the tag 000, and null was represented as the NULL pointer (0x00), which also matched the 000 tag for objects.This bug was never fixed because too much existing code depends on this behavior. A proposal to fix it was rejected for backward compatibility reasons.Workaround: Always check for null explicitly: value === null

Question 3: How would you properly check if a value is NaN?

Answer: Use Number.isNaN():

Number.isNaN(NaN)        // true
Number.isNaN("hello")    // false (no coercion)
Number.isNaN(undefined)  // false

Avoid the global isNaN() because it coerces its argument first:

isNaN("hello")           // true (coerces to NaN)
isNaN(undefined)         // true (coerces to NaN)

You can also use Object.is(value, NaN) which returns true for NaN.

Question 4: What's the ONE legitimate use case for ==?

Answer: Checking for both null and undefined in a single comparison:

// Using ==
if (value == null) {
  // value is null OR undefined
}

// Equivalent to:
if (value === null || value === undefined) {
  // value is null OR undefined
}

This works because null == undefined is true (special case in the spec), but null and undefined don’t loosely equal anything else (not even 0, "", or false).

Question 5: Why does {} === {} return false?

Answer: Objects are compared by reference, not by value.When you write {}, JavaScript creates a new object in memory. When you write another {}, it creates a completely different object. Even though they have the same content (both are empty objects), they are stored at different memory locations.

const a = {};
const b = {};
const c = a;

a === b    // false (different objects)
a === c    // true  (same reference)

To compare objects by content, you need to compare their properties or use a deep equality function.

Question 6: What's the difference between === and Object.is()?

Answer: They behave identically except for two edge cases:

Expression	`===`	`Object.is()`
`NaN, NaN`	`false`	`true`
`+0, -0`	`true`	`false`

NaN === NaN            // false
Object.is(NaN, NaN)    // true

+0 === -0              // true
Object.is(+0, -0)      // false

Use === for everyday comparisons. Use Object.is() when you specifically need to check for NaN equality or distinguish positive from negative zero.

Question 7: How would you reliably check if something is an array?

Answer: Use Array.isArray():

Array.isArray([])           // true
Array.isArray([1, 2, 3])    // true
Array.isArray(new Array())  // true

Array.isArray({})           // false
Array.isArray("hello")      // false
Array.isArray(null)         // false

Why not typeof? Because typeof [] === "object". Arrays are objects in JavaScript.Why not instanceof Array? It works in most cases, but can fail across different JavaScript realms (like iframes) where each realm has its own Array constructor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript?

The == (loose equality) operator converts values to the same type before comparing, while === (strict equality) compares both type and value without any conversion. For example, 5 == "5" is true because the string is coerced to a number, but 5 === "5" is false because a number and string are different types. According to the ECMAScript specification, === should be your default choice for reliable comparisons.

Why does NaN not equal itself in JavaScript?

This behavior comes from the IEEE 754 floating-point specification, which JavaScript follows. NaN represents an undefined or unrepresentable mathematical result (like 0/0 or Math.sqrt(-1)), so it cannot meaningfully equal any value — including itself. Use Number.isNaN() to check for NaN reliably.

When should I use == instead of === in JavaScript?

The only widely accepted use case for == is checking for null or undefined in a single expression: if (value == null). This catches both null and undefined because the ECMAScript specification defines null == undefined as true. Most linters, including ESLint’s eqeqeq rule, allow this specific pattern while enforcing === everywhere else.

What is Object.is() and when should I use it?

Object.is() is an ES6 method that implements the “SameValue” equality algorithm. It behaves like === except in two cases: Object.is(NaN, NaN) returns true (unlike ===), and Object.is(+0, -0) returns false (unlike ===). Use it when you need to distinguish positive and negative zero or reliably detect NaN.

Why does typeof null return 'object' in JavaScript?

This is a well-known bug from JavaScript’s first implementation in 1995. As documented by MDN, values in the original engine used type tags, and both objects and null shared the 000 tag. A TC39 proposal to fix this was rejected because changing it would break backward compatibility with millions of existing websites. Always check for null explicitly with value === null.

Type Coercion

Deep dive into how JavaScript converts between types automatically

Primitive Types

Understanding JavaScript’s fundamental data types

Primitives vs Objects

How primitives and objects behave differently in JavaScript

Scope and Closures

Understanding where variables are accessible in your code

Reference

Equality comparisons and sameness — MDN

Comprehensive official documentation covering ==, ===, Object.is(), and SameValue

typeof — MDN

Official documentation on the typeof operator and its behavior

Articles

JavaScript Double Equals vs. Triple Equals — Brandon Morelli

Uses side-by-side code comparisons to show exactly when == and === produce different results. Great starting point if you’re new to JavaScript equality.

What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript? — Craig Buckler

O’Reilly’s take on the equality debate with a clear recommendation on which operator to default to. Includes the edge cases that trip up even experienced developers.

=== vs == Comparison in JavaScript — FreeCodeCamp

Walks through the type coercion algorithm step-by-step with dozens of examples. The boolean comparison section explains why true == "true" returns false.

Checking Types in Javascript — Toby Ho

Covers the limitations of typeof and when to use instanceof, Object.prototype.toString, or duck typing instead. Includes a reusable type-checking utility function.

How to better check data types in JavaScript — Webbjocke

Provides copy-paste utility functions for checking arrays, objects, nulls, and primitives. Explains why each approach works and when to use which method.

JavaScript Equality Table — dorey

Visual comparison table showing the results of == and === for all type combinations. Essential reference!

Videos

JavaScript "==" VS "===" — Web Dev Simplified

8-minute breakdown with on-screen code examples showing type coercion in action. Kyle’s explanation of the null/undefined special case is particularly helpful.

JavaScript - The typeof operator — Java Brains

Demonstrates the typeof null bug and explains why it exists. Shows how to build a reliable type-checking function that handles all edge cases.

=== vs == in JavaScript — Hitesh Choudhary

Live coding session showing surprising equality results and debugging them in the console. Great for seeing how these operators behave in real development.

== ? === ??? ...#@^% — Shirmung Bielefeld

Conference talk diving deep into JavaScript’s equality quirks and type coercion weirdness.

Books

You Don't Know JS: Types & Grammar — Kyle Simpson

The definitive deep-dive into JavaScript types, coercion, and equality. Free to read online. Essential reading for truly understanding how JavaScript handles comparisons.

​The Three Equality Operators: Overview

​The Teacher Grading Papers: A Real-World Analogy

​Loose Equality (==): The Relaxed Comparison

​How It Works

​The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm

​Visual: The Coercion Decision Tree

​The Complete Coercion Rules Table

​Surprising Results Gallery

​Step-by-Step Trace: [] == ![]

​When == Might Be Useful

​Strict Equality (===): The Reliable Choice

​How It Works

​The Strict Equality Comparison Algorithm

​Visual: Strict Equality Flowchart

​The Predictable Results

​Special Cases: Two Exceptions to Know

​Object Comparison: Reference vs Value

​Object.is(): Same-Value Equality

​Why It Exists

​How It Differs from ===

​Complete Comparison Table

​When to Use Object.is()

​The typeof Operator

​How It Works

​Complete Results Table

​The Famous Quirks

​Better Alternatives for Type Checking

​Decision Guide: Which to Use?

​The Simple Rule

​Decision Flowchart

​Quick Reference

​ESLint Configuration

​Common Gotchas and Mistakes

​Common Misconceptions

​Key Takeaways

​Interactive Visualization Tool

JavaScript Equality Table

​Test Your Knowledge

​Frequently Asked Questions

​Related Concepts

Type Coercion

Primitive Types

Primitives vs Objects

Scope and Closures

​Reference

Equality comparisons and sameness — MDN

typeof — MDN

​Articles

JavaScript Double Equals vs. Triple Equals — Brandon Morelli

What is the difference between == and === in JavaScript? — Craig Buckler

=== vs == Comparison in JavaScript — FreeCodeCamp

Checking Types in Javascript — Toby Ho

How to better check data types in JavaScript — Webbjocke

JavaScript Equality Table — dorey

​Videos

JavaScript "==" VS "===" — Web Dev Simplified

JavaScript - The typeof operator — Java Brains

=== vs == in JavaScript — Hitesh Choudhary

== ? === ??? ...#@^% — Shirmung Bielefeld

​Books

You Don't Know JS: Types & Grammar — Kyle Simpson

The Three Equality Operators: Overview

The Teacher Grading Papers: A Real-World Analogy

Loose Equality (`==`): The Relaxed Comparison

How It Works

The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm

Visual: The Coercion Decision Tree

The Complete Coercion Rules Table

Surprising Results Gallery

Step-by-Step Trace: `[] == ![]`

When `==` Might Be Useful

Strict Equality (`===`): The Reliable Choice

How It Works

The Strict Equality Comparison Algorithm

Visual: Strict Equality Flowchart

The Predictable Results

Special Cases: Two Exceptions to Know

Object Comparison: Reference vs Value

`Object.is()`: Same-Value Equality

Why It Exists

How It Differs from `===`

Complete Comparison Table

When to Use `Object.is()`

The `typeof` Operator

How It Works

Complete Results Table

The Famous Quirks

Better Alternatives for Type Checking

Decision Guide: Which to Use?

The Simple Rule

Decision Flowchart

Quick Reference

ESLint Configuration

Common Gotchas and Mistakes

Common Misconceptions

Key Takeaways

Interactive Visualization Tool

Test Your Knowledge

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Concepts

Reference

Articles

Videos

Books