9.8 JS 2020

JavaScript BigInt

• JavaScript BigInt variables are used to store big integer values that are too big to be represented by a a normal JavaScript Number.
• JavaScript integers are only accurate up to about 15 digits.

Integer Example

 let x = 999999999999999;
let y = 9999999999999999; // too big 

Try it yourself

BigInt Example

let x = 9999999999999999;
let y = 9999999999999999n;

Try it yourself

To create a BigInt, append n to the end of an integer or call BigInt():

Example 1: JS Numbers - Create a BigInt

let x = 1234567890123456789012345n;
let y = BigInt(1234567890123456789012345)

The JavaScript typeof a BigInt is "bigint":

Example 2: JS Numbers - BigInt typeof

let x = BigInt(999999999999999);
let type = typeof x;

BigInt is supported in all modern browsers since September 2020:

Chrome 67	Edge 79	Firefox 68	Safari 14	Opera 54
May 2018	Jan 2020	Jul 2019	Sep 2020	Jun 2018

JavaScript String matchAll()

Before ES2020 there was no string method that could be used to search for all occurrences of a string in a string.

Example 3: JS Strings - The matchAll() Method part 1

const iterator = text.matchAll("Cats");

If the parameter is a regular expression, the global flag (g) must be set, otherwise a TypeError is thrown.

Example 4: JS Strings - The matchAll() Method part 2

const iterator = text.matchAll(/Cats/g);

If you want to search case insensitive, the insensitive flag (i) must be set:

Example 5: JS Strings - The matchAll() Method part 3

const iterator = text.matchAll(/Cats/gi);

• Note
• ES2021 introduced the string method replaceAll().

The Nullish Coalescing Operator (??)

• The ?? operator returns the first argument if it is not nullish (null or undefined).
• Otherwise it returns the second.

Example 6: JS Operators - The ?? Operator

let name = null;
let text = "missing";
let result = name ?? text;

The nullish operator is supported in all modern browsers since March 2020:

Chrome 80	Edge 80	Firefox 72	Safari 13.1	Opera 67
Feb 2020	Feb 2020	Jan 2020	Mar 2020	Mar 2020

The Optional Chaining Operator (?.)

The Optional Chaining Operator returns undefined if an object is undefined or null (instead of throwing an error).

Example 7: JS Operators - The ?. Operator

const car = {type:"Fiat", model:"500", color:"white"};
let name = car?.name;

The ?.= operator is supported in all modern browsers since March 2020:

Chrome 80	Edge 80	Firefox 74	Safari 13.1	Opera 67
Feb 2020	Feb 2020	Mar 2020	Mar 2020	Mar 2020