TypeError: X.prototype.y called on incompatible type

The JavaScript exception "called on incompatible target (or object)" occurs when a function (on a given object), is called with a this not corresponding to the type expected by the function.

Message

TypeError: Method Set.prototype.add called on incompatible receiver undefined (V8-based)
TypeError: Bind must be called on a function (V8-based)
TypeError: Function.prototype.toString called on incompatible object (Firefox)
TypeError: Function.prototype.bind called on incompatible target (Firefox)
TypeError: Type error (Safari)
TypeError: undefined is not an object (Safari)

Error type

TypeError

What went wrong?

When this error is thrown, a function (on a given object), is called with a this not corresponding to the type expected by the function.

This issue can arise when using the Function.prototype.call() or Function.prototype.apply() methods, and providing a this argument which does not have the expected type.

This issue can also happen when providing a function that is stored as a property of an object as an argument to another function. In this case, the object that stores the function won't be the this target of that function when it is called by the other function. To work-around this issue, you will either need to wrap the callback function in another function, or use the Function.prototype.bind() method to force the this argument to the expected object.

Examples

Invalid cases

js
const mySet = new Set();
["bar", "baz"].forEach(mySet.add);
// mySet.add is a function, but "mySet" is not captured as this.

const myFun = function () {
  console.log(this);
};
["bar", "baz"].forEach(myFun.bind);
// myFun.bind is a function, but "myFun" is not captured as this.

Valid cases

js
const mySet = new Set();
["bar", "baz"].forEach(mySet.add.bind(mySet));
// This works due to binding "mySet" as this.

const myFun = function () {
  console.log(this);
};
["bar", "baz"].forEach((x) => myFun.bind(x));
// This works using the "bind" function. It creates a new function forwarding the argument.

See also