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JavaScript Use Strict

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"use strict"; Defines that JavaScript code should be executed in "strict

mode".

The "use strict" Directive

The "use strict" directive was new in ECMAScript version 5.

It is not a statement, but a literal expression, ignored by earlier versions of JavaScript.

The purpose of "use strict" is to indicate that the code should be executed in "strict
mode".

With strict mode, you can not, for example, use undeclared variables.

All modern browsers support "use strict" except Internet Explorer 9 and lower:

Directive

"use strict" 13.0 10.0 4.0 6.0 12.1

The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the directive.
You can use strict mode in all your programs. It helps you to write cleaner code, like
preventing you from using undeclared variables.

"use strict" is just a string, so IE 9 will not throw an error even if it does not
understand it.

Declaring Strict Mode

Strict mode is declared by adding "use strict"; to the beginning of a script or a
function.

Declared at the beginning of a script, it has global scope (all code in the script will execute
in strict mode):

Example

"use strict";
x = 3.14;       // This will cause an error because x is not
declared

Try it Yourself »

Example

"use strict";
myFunction();

function myFunction() {
  y = 3.14;   // This will also cause an error because y is not
declared
}

Try it Yourself »
Declared inside a function, it has local scope (only the code inside the function is in strict
mode):

x = 3.14;       // This will not cause an error.

myFunction();

function myFunction() {
  "use strict";
  y = 3.14;   // This will cause an error
}

Try it Yourself »

The "use strict"; Syntax

The syntax, for declaring strict mode, was designed to be compatible with older versions of
JavaScript.

Compiling a numeric literal (4 + 5;) or a string literal ("John Doe";) in a JavaScript program
has no side effects. It simply compiles to a non existing variable and dies.

So "use strict"; only matters to new compilers that "understand" the meaning of it.

Why Strict Mode?

Strict mode makes it easier to write "secure" JavaScript.

Strict mode changes previously accepted "bad syntax" into real errors.

As an example, in normal JavaScript, mistyping a variable name creates a new global

variable. In strict mode, this will throw an error, making it impossible to accidentally create
a global variable.

In normal JavaScript, a developer will not receive any error feedback assigning values to
non-writable properties.
In strict mode, any assignment to a non-writable property, a getter-only property, a non-
existing property, a non-existing variable, or a non-existing object, will throw an error.

Not Allowed in Strict Mode

Using a variable, without declaring it, is not allowed:

"use strict";
x = 3.14;                // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Objects are variables too.

Using an object, without declaring it, is not allowed:

"use strict";
x = {p1:10, p2:20};      // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Deleting a variable (or object) is not allowed.

"use strict";
var x = 3.14;
delete x;                // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »
Deleting a function is not allowed.

"use strict";
function x(p1, p2) {};
delete x;                // This will cause an error 

Try it Yourself »

Duplicating a parameter name is not allowed:

"use strict";
function x(p1, p1) {};   // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Octal numeric literals are not allowed:

"use strict";
var x = 010;             // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Octal escape characters are not allowed:

"use strict";
var x = "\010";            // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Writing to a read-only property is not allowed:

 "use strict";
var obj = {};
Object.defineProperty(obj, "x", {value:0, writable:false});

obj.x = 3.14;            // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Writing to a get-only property is not allowed:

"use strict";
var obj = {get x() {return 0} };

obj.x = 3.14;            // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Deleting an undeletable property is not allowed:

"use strict";
delete Object.prototype; // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

The word eval cannot be used as a variable:

"use strict";
var eval = 3.14;         // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »
The word arguments cannot be used as a variable:

"use strict";
var arguments = 3.14;    // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

The with statement is not allowed:

"use strict";
with (Math){x = cos(2)}; // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

For security reasons, eval() is not allowed to create variables in the scope from which
it was called:

"use strict";
eval ("var x = 2");
alert (x);             // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

The this keyword in functions behaves differently in strict mode.

The this keyword refers to the object that called the function.

If the object is not specified, functions in strict mode will return undefined and
functions in normal mode will return the global object (window):

"use strict";
function myFunction() {
   alert(this); // will alert "undefined"
}
myFunction();

Try it Yourself »

Future Proof!
Keywords reserved for future JavaScript versions can NOT be used as variable names in
strict mode.

These are:

implements
interface
let
package
private
protected
public
static
yield

"use strict";
var public = 1500;      // This will cause an error

Try it Yourself »

Watch Out!
The "use strict" directive is only recognized at the beginning of a script or a function.
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