jQuery array comparison with ==?

Question

I have two jQuery arrays initialList and newList.

I first compare them like so:

initialList == newList

This returns false.

Then I compare element by element:

$.each(initialList, function(idx, element){ console.log(element == newList[idx] )});

Every comparison is true.

So if all elements are identical why return false in the first comparison?

Answer 1

You're asking if they're equivilent (all items the same), whereas the == operator is checking if they are the same thing (references to the same object). They're not, so == returns false.

If you're asking philosophically why == doesn't evaluate the operands and tell you if for all intents and purposes they're 'the same', you can read more about equivalence verses equality on Wikipedia (Object identity vs. Content equality).