The instanceof
operator tests whether the prototype
property of a constructor appears anywhere in the prototype chain of an object.
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Syntax
object instanceof constructor
Parameters
object
- The object to test.
constructor
- Function to test against
Description
The instanceof
operator tests the presence of constructor.prototype
in object
's prototype chain.
// defining constructors function C() {} function D() {} var o = new C(); // true, because: Object.getPrototypeOf(o) === C.prototype o instanceof C; // false, because D.prototype is nowhere in o's prototype chain o instanceof D; o instanceof Object; // true, because: C.prototype instanceof Object // true C.prototype = {}; var o2 = new C(); o2 instanceof C; // true // false, because C.prototype is nowhere in // o's prototype chain anymore o instanceof C; D.prototype = new C(); // add C to [[Prototype]] linkage of D var o3 = new D(); o3 instanceof D; // true o3 instanceof C; // true since C.prototype is now in o3's prototype chain
Note that the value of an instanceof
test can change based on changes to the prototype
property of constructors, and it can also be changed by changing an object prototype using Object.setPrototypeOf
. It is also possible using the non-standard __proto__
pseudo-property.
instanceof
and multiple context (e.g. frames or windows)
Different scopes have different execution environments. This means that they have different built-ins (different global object, different constructors, etc.). This may result in unexpected results. For instance, [] instanceof window.frames[0].Array
will return false
, because Array.prototype !==
window.frames[0].Array
and arrays inherit from the former.
This may not make sense at first but when you start dealing with multiple frames or windows in your script and pass objects from one context to another via functions, this will be a valid and strong issue. For instance, you can securely check if a given object is, in fact, an Array using Array.isArray(myObj)
For example checking if a Nodes is a SVGElement in a different context you can use myNode instanceof myNode.ownerDocument.defaultView.SVGElement
In code using XPCOM
instanceof
has special effect: obj instanceof
xpcomInterface
(e.g. Components.interfaces.nsIFile
) calls obj.QueryInterface(xpcomInterface)
and returns true
if QueryInterface succeeded. A side effect of such call is that you can use xpcomInterface
's properties on obj
after a successful instanceof
test. Unlike standard JavaScript globals, the test obj instanceof xpcomInterface
works as expected even if obj
is from a different scope.Examples
Demonstrating that String
and Date
are of type Object
and exceptional cases
The following code uses instanceof
to demonstrate that String
and Date
objects are also of type Object
(they are derived from Object
).
However, objects created with the object literal notation are an exception here: Although the prototype is undefined, instanceof Object
returns true
.
var simpleStr = 'This is a simple string'; var myString = new String(); var newStr = new String('String created with constructor'); var myDate = new Date(); var myObj = {}; var myNonObj = Object.create(null); simpleStr instanceof String; // returns false, checks the prototype chain, finds undefined myString instanceof String; // returns true newStr instanceof String; // returns true myString instanceof Object; // returns true myObj instanceof Object; // returns true, despite an undefined prototype ({}) instanceof Object; // returns true, same case as above myNonObj instanceof Object; // returns false, a way to create an object that is not an instance of Object myString instanceof Date; // returns false myDate instanceof Date; // returns true myDate instanceof Object; // returns true myDate instanceof String; // returns false
Demonstrating that mycar
is of type Car
and type Object
The following code creates an object type Car
and an instance of that object type, mycar
. The instanceof
operator demonstrates that the mycar
object is of type Car
and of type Object
.
function Car(make, model, year) { this.make = make; this.model = model; this.year = year; } var mycar = new Car('Honda', 'Accord', 1998); var a = mycar instanceof Car; // returns true var b = mycar instanceof Object; // returns true
Not an instanceof
To test if an object is not an instanceof a specific Constructor, you can do
if (!(mycar instanceof Car)) { // Do something, like mycar = new Car(mycar) }
This is really different from
if (!mycar instanceof Car)
that will always be false (!mycar
will be treated before instanceof
, so you always try to know if a boolean is an instance of Car
).
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
ECMAScript Latest Draft (ECMA-262) The definition of 'Relational Operators' in that specification. |
Draft | |
ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262) The definition of 'Relational Operators' in that specification. |
Standard | |
ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262) The definition of 'The instanceof operator' in that specification. |
Standard | |
ECMAScript 3rd Edition (ECMA-262) The definition of 'The instanceof operator' in that specification. |
Standard | Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.4. |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | Server | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
instanceof | Chrome Full support 1 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 1 | IE Full support 5 | Opera Full support Yes | Safari Full support Yes | WebView Android Full support 1 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support Yes | Safari iOS Full support Yes | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 | nodejs Full support Yes |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support