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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Storing and Tracking Information with Variables Introducing Variables

Posted by Linlin Huang
Linlin Huang
2,413 Points

Are semi-colons optional?

Why is it that I need to end my statements with a semicolon in javascript? I noticed that the code works without them too, which makes it seem they're not obligatory.

1 Answer

Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points
Erik Nuber
Erik Nuber
20,629 Points

Semicolons are not always mandatory, but I would always recommend using them.

from ECMA...

Certain ECMAScript statements (empty statement, variable statement, expression statement, do-while statement, continue statement, break statement, return statement, and throw statement) must be terminated with semicolons. Such semicolons may always appear explicitly in the source text. For convenience, however, such semicolons may be omitted from the source text in certain situations. These situations are described by saying that semicolons are automatically inserted into the source code token stream in those situations.