How to check if a variable is undefined versus it is undeclared in javascript?

Question

I know that to find if a variable is undeclared in javascript, I can use if (typeof variable === 'undefined'). If I declare a variable as undefined (var variable = undefined), the if statement still returns true. Is it possible, in JavaScript, to find the difference between undeclared variables and variables with a value of undefined? I know that they are similar, but doing const variable = undefined and then variable = "something else" will throw an error, so they must be different.

const variable = undefined

if (typeof variable === 'undefined') {
  console.log('"variable" is undefined')
}

if (typeof undeclaredVariable === 'undefined') {
  console.log('"undeclaredVariable" is undefined')
}

I wouldn't like to use a try catch block because I want to be able to assign another constant based on this. I would like a solution like this: const isVariableDeclared = variable === undeclared, except undeclared does not exist in javascript. I know I can use let with a try catch block but am looking for something more elegant.

Answer 1

At least in the time of writing... No, it does not seem that you can do something like this:

var a = undeclared(var) ? 'undeclared' : 'undefined'

The reason is that you cannot pass an undeclared variable to a function; It raises an error, even in non-strict mode.

The best we can do, is this:

var barIsDeclared = true;

try { bar; }
catch (e) {
  if (e.name == "ReferenceError") {
    barIsDeclared = false;
  }
}

console.log(barIsDeclared);

Why?

Undefined: It occurs when a variable has been declared but has not been assigned with any value. Undefined is not a keyword.

Undeclared: It occurs when we try to access any variable that is not initialized or declared earlier using var or const keyword. If we use ‘typeof’ operator to get the value of an undeclared variable, we will face the runtime error with return value as “undefined”. The scope of the undeclared variables is always global.

For example:

• Undefined:

var a;
undefined
console.log(a) // Success!

• Undeclared:

console.log(myVariable) // ReferenceError: myVariable is not defined

When we try to log an undeclared variable, it raises an error. Trying to log an undefined variable does not. We make a try catch to check for just that.

'use strict'

Worth mentioning that adding 'use strict' in your code verifies that no undeclared variable is present, and raises an error if one is present.

function define() {
 //'use strict' verifies that no undeclared variable is present in our code     
 'use strict';     
 x = "Defined";  
}

define();

ReferenceError: x is not defined

Further reading:

• Checking if a variable exists in javascript
• What are undeclared and undefined variables in JavaScript?
• JS Interview Question: What’s the difference between a variable that is: null, undefined or undeclared?
• JavaScript check if variable exists (is defined/initialized)
• Strict mode

Answer 2

As others already did point to, the OP might want to distinguish between declared but undefined references and undeclared reference names ...

let declaredButUnassignedAndStrictlyEqualToUndefinedValue;
const declaredAndHavingAssignedTheUndefinedValue = undefined;

// There is no way of telling the above two (un/)assignements appart.

console.log(
  '(declaredButUnassignedAndStrictlyEqualToUndefinedValue === declaredAndHavingAssignedTheUndefinedValue) ?',
  (declaredButUnassignedAndStrictlyEqualToUndefinedValue === declaredAndHavingAssignedTheUndefinedValue)
);


// the `typeof` operator is of no help
// if it comes to distinguish between
// declared but undefined references
// and undeclared reference names ...

console.log(
  'typeof notDeclaredWithinScope :', typeof notDeclaredWithinScope
);

// ... just a try catch can do that.

try {
  notDeclaredWithinScope;
} catch (err) {
  // console.log(err.message);

  console.log('`notDeclaredWithinScope` does not exist within this scope.')
}

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