How to terminate the script in JavaScript?

Question

"exit" functions usually quit the program or script along with an error message as paramete. For example die(...) in php

die("sorry my fault, didn't mean to but now I am in byte nirvana")

The equivalent in JS is to signal an error with the throw keyword like this:

throw new Error();

You can easily test this:

var m = 100;
throw '';
var x = 100;

x
>>>undefined
m
>>>100

JavaScript equivalent for PHP's die. BTW it just calls exit() (thanks splattne):

function exit( status ) {
    // http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net
    // +   original by: Brett Zamir (http://brettz9.blogspot.com)
    // +      input by: Paul
    // +   bugfixed by: Hyam Singer (http://www.impact-computing.com/)
    // +   improved by: Philip Peterson
    // +   bugfixed by: Brett Zamir (http://brettz9.blogspot.com)
    // %        note 1: Should be considered expirimental. Please comment on this function.
    // *     example 1: exit();
    // *     returns 1: null

    var i;

    if (typeof status === 'string') {
        alert(status);
    }

    window.addEventListener('error', function (e) {e.preventDefault();e.stopPropagation();}, false);

    var handlers = [
        'copy', 'cut', 'paste',
        'beforeunload', 'blur', 'change', 'click', 'contextmenu', 'dblclick', 'focus', 'keydown', 'keypress', 'keyup', 'mousedown', 'mousemove', 'mouseout', 'mouseover', 'mouseup', 'resize', 'scroll',
        'DOMNodeInserted', 'DOMNodeRemoved', 'DOMNodeRemovedFromDocument', 'DOMNodeInsertedIntoDocument', 'DOMAttrModified', 'DOMCharacterDataModified', 'DOMElementNameChanged', 'DOMAttributeNameChanged', 'DOMActivate', 'DOMFocusIn', 'DOMFocusOut', 'online', 'offline', 'textInput',
        'abort', 'close', 'dragdrop', 'load', 'paint', 'reset', 'select', 'submit', 'unload'
    ];

    function stopPropagation (e) {
        e.stopPropagation();
        // e.preventDefault(); // Stop for the form controls, etc., too?
    }
    for (i=0; i < handlers.length; i++) {
        window.addEventListener(handlers[i], function (e) {stopPropagation(e);}, true);
    }

    if (window.stop) {
        window.stop();
    }

    throw '';
}

Even in simple programs without handles, events and such, it is best to put code in a "main" function, even when it is the only procedure :

<script> 
function main()
{
//code

}
main();
</script>

This way, when you want to stop the program you can use "return".

If you don't care that it's an error just write:

fail;

That will stop your main (global) code from proceeding. Useful for some aspects of debugging/testing.

There are many ways to exit a JS or Node script. Here are the most relevant:

// This will never exit!
setInterval((function() {  
    return;
}), 5000);

// This will exit after 5 seconds, with signal 1
setTimeout((function() {  
    return process.exit(1);
}), 5000);

// This will also exit after 5 seconds, and print its (killed) PID
setTimeout((function() {  
    return process.kill(process.pid);
}), 5000);

// This will also exit after 5 seconds and create a core dump.
setTimeout((function() {  
    return process.abort();
}), 5000);

If you're in the REPL (i.e. after running node on the command line), you can type .exit to exit.

Place the debugger; keyword in your JavaScript code where you want to stop the execution. Then open your favorite browser's developer tools and reload the page. Now it should pause automatically. Open the Sources section of your tools: the debugger; keyword is highlighted and you have the option to resume script execution.

I hope it helps.

More information at:

• https://developer.mozilla.org/de/docs/Tools/Debugger

• http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_debugging.asp

In my case I used the window.stop API which is like clicking the X button on your browser:

window.stop();