JavaScript String Equals: Comparing for Equality

You’ll want to know how to compare strings to check for equality in JavaScript. It’ll make you better at handling data manipulation and logic control. This post explores the different ways to compare strings in JavaScript.

How to use the strict equality operator (===) in JavaScript?

Use the strict equality operator (===) to directly compare two strings for identical content and type without type coercion. This approach stands as the most straightforward and recommended method for string equality checks in JavaScript.

const string1 = "hello";
const string2 = "hello";
const isEqual = string1 === string2; // true

How to use the loose equality operator (==) in JavaScript?

Although the loose equality operator (==) allows for type conversion and can compare two strings for equality, go with the strict equality operator to avoid unintentional type coercion. It's suitable when you're certain both values are strings but strive for clarity and precision in your comparisons.

const string1 = "hello";
const string2 = "hello";
const isEqual = string1 == string2; // true

How to use the localeCompare() method in JavaScript?

Employ the localeCompare() method when you need to consider locale-specific rules in your string equality checks. This method returns 0 when it considers two strings equal, making it ideal for applications requiring locale-aware comparisons.

const string1 = "hello";
const string2 = "hello";
const isEqual = string1.localeCompare(string2) === 0; // true

Case-insensitive string equals

When the case of the strings should not affect their comparison, convert both strings to the same case (either lowercase or uppercase) before comparing them. This technique ensures that differences in case don't interfere with the equality check.

const string1 = "Hello";
const string2 = "hello";
const isEqual = string1.toLowerCase() === string2.toLowerCase(); // true