Are there constants in JavaScript?

Question

Is there a way to use constants in JavaScript?

If not, what's the common practice for specifying variables that are used as constants?

Answer 1

You can easily equip your script with a mechanism for constants that can be set but not altered. An attempt to alter them will generate an error.

/* author Keith Evetts 2009 License: LGPL  
anonymous function sets up:  
global function SETCONST (String name, mixed value)  
global function CONST (String name)  
constants once set may not be altered - console error is generated  
they are retrieved as CONST(name)  
the object holding the constants is private and cannot be accessed from the outer script directly, only through the setter and getter provided  
*/

(function(){  
  var constants = {};  
  self.SETCONST = function(name,value) {  
      if (typeof name !== 'string') { throw new Error('constant name is not a string'); }  
      if (!value) { throw new Error(' no value supplied for constant ' + name); }  
      else if ((name in constants) ) { throw new Error('constant ' + name + ' is already defined'); }   
      else {   
          constants[name] = value;   
          return true;  
    }    
  };  
  self.CONST = function(name) {  
      if (typeof name !== 'string') { throw new Error('constant name is not a string'); }  
      if ( name in constants ) { return constants[name]; }    
      else { throw new Error('constant ' + name + ' has not been defined'); }  
  };  
}())  


// -------------  demo ----------------------------  
SETCONST( 'VAT', 0.175 );  
alert( CONST('VAT') );


//try to alter the value of VAT  
try{  
  SETCONST( 'VAT', 0.22 );  
} catch ( exc )  {  
   alert (exc.message);  
}  
//check old value of VAT remains  
alert( CONST('VAT') );  


// try to get at constants object directly  
constants['DODO'] = "dead bird";  // error  

Answer 2

Forget IE and use the const keyword.

Answer 3

Introducing constants into JavaScript is at best a hack.

A nice way of making persistent and globally accessible values in JavaScript would be declaring an object literal with some "read-only" properties like this:

            my={get constant1(){return "constant 1"},
                get constant2(){return "constant 2"},
                get constant3(){return "constant 3"},
                get constantN(){return "constant N"}
                }

you'll have all your constants grouped in one single "my" accessory object where you can look for your stored values or anything else you may have decided to put there for that matter. Now let's test if it works:

           my.constant1; >> "constant 1" 
           my.constant1 = "new constant 1";
           my.constant1; >> "constant 1" 

As we can see, the "my.constant1" property has preserved its original value. You've made yourself some nice 'green' temporary constants...

But of course this will only guard you from accidentally modifying, altering, nullifying, or emptying your property constant value with a direct access as in the given example.

Otherwise I still think that constants are for dummies. And I still think that exchanging your great freedom for a small corner of deceptive security is the worst trade possible.

Answer 4

Okay, this is ugly, but it gives me a constant in Firefox and Chromium, an inconstant constant (WTF?) in Safari and Opera, and a variable in IE.

Of course eval() is evil, but without it, IE throws an error, preventing scripts from running.

Safari and Opera support the const keyword, but you can change the const's value.

In this example, server-side code is writing JavaScript to the page, replacing {0} with a value.

try{
    // i can haz const?
    eval("const FOO='{0}';");
    // for reals?
    var original=FOO;
    try{
        FOO='?NO!';
    }catch(err1){
        // no err from Firefox/Chrome - fails silently
        alert('err1 '+err1);
    }
    alert('const '+FOO);
    if(FOO=='?NO!'){
        // changed in Sf/Op - set back to original value
        FOO=original;
    }
}catch(err2){
    // IE fail
    alert('err2 '+err2);
    // set var (no var keyword - Chrome/Firefox complain about redefining const)
    FOO='{0}';
    alert('var '+FOO);
}
alert('FOO '+FOO);

What is this good for? Not much, since it's not cross-browser. At best, maybe a little peace of mind that at least some browsers won't let bookmarklets or third-party script modify the value.

Tested with Firefox 2, 3, 3.6, 4, Iron 8, Chrome 10, 12, Opera 11, Safari 5, IE 6, 9.

Answer 5

JavaScript ES6 (re-)introduced the const keyword which is supported in all major browsers.

Variables declared via const cannot be re-declared or re-assigned.

Apart from that, const behaves similar to let.

It behaves as expected for primitive datatypes (Boolean, Null, Undefined, Number, String, Symbol):

const x = 1;
x = 2;
console.log(x); // 1 ...as expected, re-assigning fails

Attention: Be aware of the pitfalls regarding objects:

const o = {x: 1};
o = {x: 2};
console.log(o); // {x: 1} ...as expected, re-assigning fails

o.x = 2;
console.log(o); // {x: 2} !!! const does not make objects immutable!

const a = [];
a = [1];
console.log(a); // 1 ...as expected, re-assigning fails

a.push(1);
console.log(a); // [1] !!! const does not make objects immutable

If you really need an immutable and absolutely constant object: Just use const ALL_CAPS to make your intention clear. It is a good convention to follow for all const declarations anyway, so just rely on it.

Answer 6

"use strict";

var constants = Object.freeze({
    "π": 3.141592653589793 ,
    "e": 2.718281828459045 ,
    "i": Math.sqrt(-1)
});

constants.π;        // -> 3.141592653589793
constants.π = 3;    // -> TypeError: Cannot assign to read only property 'π' …
constants.π;        // -> 3.141592653589793

delete constants.π; // -> TypeError: Unable to delete property.
constants.π;        // -> 3.141592653589793

See Object.freeze. You can use const if you want to make the constants reference read-only as well.