What are the different data types in JavaScript?

Answer

There are eight basic data types in JavaScript.

String:

String is used to store text. In JavaScript, strings are surrounded by quotes:

• Single quotes: 'Hello'
• Double quotes: "Hello"
• Backticks: `Hello`

Example::

// Strings
const firstName = "Mukul";
const lastName = "Mittal";
const result = `Name: ${firstName} ${lastName}`;

console.log(result); // Name: Mukul Mittal

Number:

Number represents integer and floating numbers (decimals and exponentials). A number type can also be +Infinity, -Infinity, and NaN (not a number).

const number1 = 3;
const number2 = 3.433;
const number3 = 3e5; // 3 * 10^5

const number4 = 3 / 0;
console.log(number4); // Infinity

const number5 = -3 / 0;
console.log(number5); // -Infinity

// strings can't be divided by numbers
const number6 = "abc" / 3;
console.log(number6); // NaN

BigInt:

In JavaScript, Number type can only represent numbers less than (253 - 1) and more than -(253 - 1). However, if you need to use a larger number than that, you can use the BigInt data type.

A BigInt number is created by appending n to the end of an integer.

// BigInt value
const num1 = 900719925124740998n;
const num2 = 900719925124740998n;
const num3 = 10;


// Adding two big integers
const result1 = num1 + num2;
console.log(result1); // "1801439850249481996n"


// Error! BitInt and number cannot be added
const result2 = num1 + num2 + num3; 
console.log(result2);  // Uncaught TypeError: Cannot mix BigInt and other types

Boolean:

This data type represents logical entities. Boolean represents one of two values: true or false.

const dataChecked = true;
const valueCounted = false;

undefined:

The undefined data type represents value that is not assigned. If a variable is declared but the value is not assigned, then the value of that variable will be undefined.

let name;
console.log(name); // undefined

let name = undefined;
console.log(name); // undefined

null:

In JavaScript, null is a special value that represents empty or unknown value.

const number = null;

Symbol:

A value having the data type Symbol can be referred to as a symbol value. Symbol is an immutable primitive value that is unique.

// Two symbols with the same description

const value1 = Symbol('hello');
const value2 = Symbol('hello');

let result = (value1 === value2) ? true : false;  // false;

// Note: Though value1 and value2 both contain 'hello', they are different as they are of the Symbol type.

Object:

An object is a complex data type that allows us to store collections of data.

const employee = {
    firstName: 'John',
    lastName: 'K',
    email: 'john.k@gmail.com'
};