Object.isFrozen()

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.

The Object.isFrozen() static method determines if an object is frozen.

Try it

Syntax

js
Object.isFrozen(obj)

Parameters

obj

The object which should be checked.

Return value

A Boolean indicating whether or not the given object is frozen.

Description

An object is frozen if and only if it is not extensible, all its properties are non-configurable, and all its data properties (that is, properties which are not accessor properties with getter or setter components) are non-writable.

Examples

Using Object.isFrozen

js
// A new object is extensible, so it is not frozen.
Object.isFrozen({}); // false

// An empty object which is not extensible
// is vacuously frozen.
const vacuouslyFrozen = Object.preventExtensions({});
Object.isFrozen(vacuouslyFrozen); // true

// A new object with one property is also extensible,
// ergo not frozen.
const oneProp = { p: 42 };
Object.isFrozen(oneProp); // false

// Preventing extensions to the object still doesn't
// make it frozen, because the property is still
// configurable (and writable).
Object.preventExtensions(oneProp);
Object.isFrozen(oneProp); // false

// Deleting that property makes the object vacuously frozen.
delete oneProp.p;
Object.isFrozen(oneProp); // true

// A non-extensible object with a non-writable
// but still configurable property is not frozen.
const nonWritable = { e: "plep" };
Object.preventExtensions(nonWritable);
Object.defineProperty(nonWritable, "e", {
  writable: false,
}); // make non-writable
Object.isFrozen(nonWritable); // false

// Changing that property to non-configurable
// then makes the object frozen.
Object.defineProperty(nonWritable, "e", {
  configurable: false,
}); // make non-configurable
Object.isFrozen(nonWritable); // true

// A non-extensible object with a non-configurable
// but still writable property also isn't frozen.
const nonConfigurable = { release: "the kraken!" };
Object.preventExtensions(nonConfigurable);
Object.defineProperty(nonConfigurable, "release", {
  configurable: false,
});
Object.isFrozen(nonConfigurable); // false

// Changing that property to non-writable
// then makes the object frozen.
Object.defineProperty(nonConfigurable, "release", {
  writable: false,
});
Object.isFrozen(nonConfigurable); // true

// A non-extensible object with a configurable
// accessor property isn't frozen.
const accessor = {
  get food() {
    return "yum";
  },
};
Object.preventExtensions(accessor);
Object.isFrozen(accessor); // false

// When we make that property non-configurable it becomes frozen.
Object.defineProperty(accessor, "food", {
  configurable: false,
});
Object.isFrozen(accessor); // true

// But the easiest way for an object to be frozen
// is if Object.freeze has been called on it.
const frozen = { 1: 81 };
Object.isFrozen(frozen); // false
Object.freeze(frozen);
Object.isFrozen(frozen); // true

// By definition, a frozen object is non-extensible.
Object.isExtensible(frozen); // false

// Also by definition, a frozen object is sealed.
Object.isSealed(frozen); // true

Non-object argument

In ES5, if the argument to this method is not an object (a primitive), then it will cause a TypeError. In ES2015, it will return true without any errors if a non-object argument is passed, since primitives are, by definition, immutable.

js
Object.isFrozen(1);
// TypeError: 1 is not an object (ES5 code)

Object.isFrozen(1);
// true                          (ES2015 code)

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript Language Specification
# sec-object.isfrozen

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also