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Let's say I use the URL interface to create a new URL. E.g. like that:
new URL('https://www.example.com/démonstration.html?query=6#bla')
Now I need this as a plain string. How do I best convert it?
Note: The examples here are minimal examples. I obviously don't convert a (hardcoded) string to an URL object and back to a string. To give some context, imagine I modify the URL object in between (possibly with user input) and/or pass it to different functions or so. In the end, I have an URL object and want it as a plain string.
I've found the following ways:
via href property:
(new URL('https://www.example.com/démonstration.html?query=6#bla')).href
// "https://www.example.com/d%C3%A9monstration.html?query=6#bla"
via toString method:
(new URL('https://www.example.com/démonstration.html?query=6#bla')).toString()
// "https://www.example.com/d%C3%A9monstration.html?query=6#bla"
As you can see, in my example, it returns exactly the same.
So looking at the doc you notice:
href is "a USVString containing the whole URL."toString returns "a USVString containing the whole URL. It is a synonym for URL.href, though it can't be used to modify the value."Okay, I don't want to modify it. But are there really no differences? Maybe regarding performance, browser support¹ or even code style? I have to decide for one, so which one should I choose?
¹ Actually I can see there are differences in the compatibility table for these conversion ways. So I guess there are also some legacy implementations that handle things differently or so. I cannot believe these are true "synonym" and this gab in browser support seems to support that believe.
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Here both the methods are used to convert the string but the basic difference between them is: "Convert" function handles NULLS, while "i. ToString()" does not it will throw a NULL reference exception error. So as good coding practice using "convert" is always safe.
Both these methods are used to convert a value to a string. The difference is Convert. ToString() method handles null whereas the ToString() doesn't handle null in C#. In C# if you declare a string variable and if you don't assign any value to that variable, then by default that variable takes a null value.
Convert the specified value to its equivalent string using the ToString() method. Initialize a bool value. bool boolVal = false; Now, to convert it to a string, use the ToString() method.
According to the specification, they are doing exactly the same. The href attribute is marked up as a stringifier, which means that in JavaScript the class gets a toString method with exactly the same behaviour as the attribute.
As you have noticed, browser support is not the same for them. Also one is more to type and transmit than the other. This comes down entirely to preference. However, personally I find that an explicit toString call best conveys the message "I have an URL object and want it as a plain string."
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