Timestamps in JavaScript

Question

In order to take the Timestamps in javascript yuo can write this kind of code:

// Usual Way
var d = new Date();
timestamp = d.getTime();

But I found that is it also possible to get the same result in this way:

// The shortest Way
timestamp = +new Date();

Can someone help me to understand how the Shortest Way works?

Answer 1

That is the unary plus operator. It attempts to convert the argument that follows into a number if it isn't already a number. The Date object implements a method that allows it to be converted to a number, which is the timestamp identical to the getTime() method.

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A more legible and obvious way of getting a timestamp without using an extra variable is to use parentheses:

var timestamp = (new Date()).getTime();