JavaScript Use Strict

The "use strict" Directive

The "use strict" directive was new in ECMAScript version 5.

It defines that JavaScript code should be executed in "strict mode".

It is not a statement. It is a literal expression, ignored by earlier versions of JavaScript.

The purpose of "use strict" is to indicate that the code should be executed in "strict mode".

With strict mode, you can not, for example, use undeclared variables.

Declaring Strict Mode

Strict mode is declared by adding "use strict"; to the beginning of a script or a function.

Declared at the beginning of a script, it has global scope (all code in the script will execute in strict mode):

Example

"use strict";
x = 3.14;       // This will cause an error
 because x is not declared

Example

"use strict";
myFunction();

function myFunction() {

   y = 3.14;   // This will also cause an error
 because y is not declared
}

Declared inside a function, it has local scope (only the code inside the function is in strict mode):

Example

x = 3.14;       // This will not cause an error.

myFunction();

function
 myFunction() {

  "use strict";

    y = 3.14;   // This will cause an error
}

The "use strict"; Syntax

The syntax, for declaring strict mode, was designed to be compatible with older versions of JavaScript.

Compiling a numeric literal (4 + 5;) or a string literal ("John Doe";) in a JavaScript program has no side effects. It simply compiles to a non existing variable and dies.

So "use strict"; only matters to new compilers that "understand" the meaning of it.

Why Strict Mode?

Strict mode makes it easier to write "secure" JavaScript.

Strict mode changes previously accepted "bad syntax" into real errors.

As an example, in normal JavaScript, mistyping a variable name creates a new global variable. In strict mode, this will throw an error, making it impossible to accidentally create a global variable.

In normal JavaScript, a developer will not receive any error feedback assigning values to non-writable properties.

In strict mode, any assignment to a non-writable property, a getter-only property, a non-existing property, a non-existing variable, or a non-existing object, will throw an error.

Not Allowed in Strict Mode

Using a variable, without declaring it, is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";

 x = 3.14;                // This will cause an error

Using an object, without declaring it, is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";

 x = {p1:10, p2:20};      // This will cause an error

Deleting a variable (or object) is not allowed.

Example

"use strict";
let x = 3.14;

delete x;                // This
will cause an error

Deleting a function is not allowed.

Example

"use strict";
function x(p1, p2) {};
delete x;
 // This will cause an error

Duplicating a parameter name is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";
function x(p1, p1) {};   // This will cause an error

Octal numeric literals are not allowed:

Example

"use strict";
let x = 010;             // This
will cause an error

Octal escape characters are not allowed:

Example

"use strict";

let x = "\010";            // This will cause an error

Writing to a read-only property is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";

const obj = {};

Object.defineProperty(obj, "x", {value:0, writable:false});

obj.x = 3.14;            // This
will cause an error

Writing to a get-only property is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";

const obj = {get x()
{return 0} };

obj.x = 3.14;            // This
will cause an error

Deleting an undeletable property is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";
delete Object.prototype; // This will cause an error

The word eval cannot be used as a variable:

Example

"use strict";
let eval = 3.14;         // This will cause an error

The word arguments cannot be used as a variable:

Example

"use strict";
let arguments = 3.14;    // This will cause an error

The with statement is not allowed:

Example

"use strict";
with (Math){x = cos(2)}; // This will cause an error

For security reasons, eval() is not allowed to create variables in the scope from which it was called.

Example

"use strict";

eval ("x = 2");

alert (x);      // This
will cause an error

Example

"use strict";

eval ("var x = 2");

alert (x);    // This
will cause an error

Example

eval ("let x = 2");

alert (x);        // This
will cause an error

The this keyword in functions behaves differently in strict mode.

The this keyword refers to the object that called the function.

If the object is not specified, functions in strict mode will return undefined and functions in normal mode will return the global object (window):

Example

"use strict";
function myFunction() {

  alert(this); // will alert "undefined"
}
myFunction();