Flash cards
Review the key moves
1/4
Core idea
What is the main idea behind The JavaScript Ternary Operator?
Lesson checks
Practice each idea before moving on
Short Mimo-style checks built from this lesson's code, terms, and sequence.
1Quick choice
Which statement best captures the main point of this lesson?
2Fill blank
Complete the missing token from the example code.
___ text = (age < 18) ? "Minor" : "Adult";3Order
Put the learning moves in the order that makes the concept easiest to apply.
It is called a ternary operator because it takes three operands.
The conditional operator is a shorthand for writing conditional if.
The JavaScript Ternary Operator
Example
let text = (age < 18) ? "Minor" : "Adult";Example
let isMember = true;
let discount = isMember ? 0.2 : 0;Example
let isMember = false;
let discount = isMember ? 0.2 : 0;The conditional operator is a shorthand for writing conditional if...else statements.
It is called a ternary operator because it takes three operands.
Syntax
(
condition
) ?
expression1
expression2Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| condition | Required. The condition to be tested. An expression that evaluates to true or false . |
| ? | Required. The operator separating the condition from the expressions. |
| expression1 | Required. The value to return if the condition is true . |
| : | Required. The operator separating the expressions. |
| expression2 | Required. The value to return if the condition is false . |
The conditional (ternary) operator is the only JavaScript operator that takes three operands.
Browser Support
() ? x : y is an ES1 feature (JavaScript 1997).
It is fully supported in all browsers:
| Chrome | IE | Edge | Firefox | Safari | Opera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |