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Unable to show a different value after detecting an undefined variable in javascript [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Detecting an undefined object property
(50 answers)
How to check a not-defined variable in JavaScript
(15 answers)
How to handle 'undefined' in JavaScript [duplicate]
(3 answers)
How can I check if a variable exist in JavaScript?
(8 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
What is the most appropriate way to test if a variable is undefined in JavaScript?
I've seen several possible ways:
if (window.myVariable)
Or
if (typeof(myVariable) != "undefined")
Or
if (myVariable) // This throws an error if undefined. Should this be in Try/Catch?

If you are interested in finding out whether a variable has been declared regardless of its value, then using the in operator is the safest way to go. Consider this example:
// global scope
var theFu; // theFu has been declared, but its value is undefined
typeof theFu; // "undefined"
But this may not be the intended result for some cases, since the variable or property was declared but just not initialized. Use the in operator for a more robust check.
"theFu" in window; // true
"theFoo" in window; // false
If you are interested in knowing whether the variable hasn't been declared or has the value undefined, then use the typeof operator, which is guaranteed to return a string:
if (typeof myVar !== 'undefined')
Direct comparisons against undefined are troublesome as undefined can be overwritten.
window.undefined = "foo";
"foo" == undefined // true
As #CMS pointed out, this has been patched in ECMAScript 5th ed., and undefined is non-writable.
if (window.myVar) will also include these falsy values, so it's not very robust:
false
0
""
NaN
null
undefined
Thanks to #CMS for pointing out that your third case - if (myVariable) can also throw an error in two cases. The first is when the variable hasn't been defined which throws a ReferenceError.
// abc was never declared.
if (abc) {
// ReferenceError: abc is not defined
}
The other case is when the variable has been defined, but has a getter function which throws an error when invoked. For example,
// or it's a property that can throw an error
Object.defineProperty(window, "myVariable", {
get: function() { throw new Error("W00t?"); },
set: undefined
});
if (myVariable) {
// Error: W00t?
}

I personally use
myVar === undefined
Warning: Please note that === is used over == and that myVar has been previously declared (not defined).
I do not like typeof myVar === "undefined". I think it is long winded and unnecessary. (I can get the same done in less code.)
Now some people will keel over in pain when they read this, screaming: "Wait! WAAITTT!!! undefined can be redefined!"
Cool. I know this. Then again, most variables in Javascript can be redefined. Should you never use any built-in identifier that can be redefined?
If you follow this rule, good for you: you aren't a hypocrite.
The thing is, in order to do lots of real work in JS, developers need to rely on redefinable identifiers to be what they are. I don't hear people telling me that I shouldn't use setTimeout because someone can
window.setTimeout = function () {
alert("Got you now!");
};
Bottom line, the "it can be redefined" argument to not use a raw === undefined is bogus.
(If you are still scared of undefined being redefined, why are you blindly integrating untested library code into your code base? Or even simpler: a linting tool.)
Also, like the typeof approach, this technique can "detect" undeclared variables:
if (window.someVar === undefined) {
doSomething();
}
But both these techniques leak in their abstraction. I urge you not to use this or even
if (typeof myVar !== "undefined") {
doSomething();
}
Consider:
var iAmUndefined;
To catch whether or not that variable is declared or not, you may need to resort to the in operator. (In many cases, you can simply read the code O_o).
if ("myVar" in window) {
doSomething();
}
But wait! There's more! What if some prototype chain magic is happening…? Now even the superior in operator does not suffice. (Okay, I'm done here about this part except to say that for 99% of the time, === undefined (and ****cough**** typeof) works just fine. If you really care, you can read about this subject on its own.)

2020 Update
One of my reasons for preferring a typeof check (namely, that undefined can be redefined) became irrelevant with the mass adoption of ECMAScript 5. The other, that you can use typeof to check the type of an undeclared variable, was always niche. Therefore, I'd now recommend using a direct comparison in most situations:
myVariable === undefined
Original answer from 2010
Using typeof is my preference. It will work when the variable has never been declared, unlike any comparison with the == or === operators or type coercion using if. (undefined, unlike null, may also be redefined in ECMAScript 3 environments, making it unreliable for comparison, although nearly all common environments now are compliant with ECMAScript 5 or above).
if (typeof someUndeclaredVariable == "undefined") {
// Works
}
if (someUndeclaredVariable === undefined) {
// Throws an error
}

You can use typeof, like this:
if (typeof something != "undefined") {
// ...
}

Update 2018-07-25
It's been nearly five years since this post was first made, and JavaScript has come a long way. In repeating the tests in the original post, I found no consistent difference between the following test methods:
abc === undefined
abc === void 0
typeof abc == 'undefined'
typeof abc === 'undefined'
Even when I modified the tests to prevent Chrome from optimizing them away, the differences were insignificant. As such, I'd now recommend abc === undefined for clarity.
Relevant content from chrome://version:
Google Chrome: 67.0.3396.99 (Official Build) (64-bit) (cohort: Stable)
Revision: a337fbf3c2ab8ebc6b64b0bfdce73a20e2e2252b-refs/branch-heads/3396#{#790}
OS: Windows
JavaScript: V8 6.7.288.46
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/67.0.3396.99 Safari/537.36
Original post 2013-11-01
In Google Chrome, the following was ever so slightly faster than a typeof test:
if (abc === void 0) {
// Undefined
}
The difference was negligible. However, this code is more concise, and clearer at a glance to someone who knows what void 0 means. Note, however, that abc must still be declared.
Both typeof and void were significantly faster than comparing directly against undefined. I used the following test format in the Chrome developer console:
var abc;
start = +new Date();
for (var i = 0; i < 10000000; i++) {
if (TEST) {
void 1;
}
}
end = +new Date();
end - start;
The results were as follows:
Test: | abc === undefined abc === void 0 typeof abc == 'undefined'
------+---------------------------------------------------------------------
x10M | 13678 ms 9854 ms 9888 ms
x1 | 1367.8 ns 985.4 ns 988.8 ns
Note that the first row is in milliseconds, while the second row is in nanoseconds. A difference of 3.4 nanoseconds is nothing. The times were pretty consistent in subsequent tests.

If it is undefined, it will not be equal to a string that contains the characters "undefined", as the string is not undefined.
You can check the type of the variable:
if (typeof(something) != "undefined") ...
Sometimes you don't even have to check the type. If the value of the variable can't evaluate to false when it's set (for example if it's a function), then you can just evalue the variable. Example:
if (something) {
something(param);
}

if (typeof foo == 'undefined') {
// Do something
};
Note that strict comparison (!==) is not necessary in this case, since typeof will always return a string.

Some scenarios illustrating the results of the various answers:
http://jsfiddle.net/drzaus/UVjM4/
(Note that the use of var for in tests make a difference when in a scoped wrapper)
Code for reference:
(function(undefined) {
var definedButNotInitialized;
definedAndInitialized = 3;
someObject = {
firstProp: "1"
, secondProp: false
// , undefinedProp not defined
}
// var notDefined;
var tests = [
'definedButNotInitialized in window',
'definedAndInitialized in window',
'someObject.firstProp in window',
'someObject.secondProp in window',
'someObject.undefinedProp in window',
'notDefined in window',
'"definedButNotInitialized" in window',
'"definedAndInitialized" in window',
'"someObject.firstProp" in window',
'"someObject.secondProp" in window',
'"someObject.undefinedProp" in window',
'"notDefined" in window',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedButNotInitialized === undefined',
'! definedButNotInitialized',
'!! definedButNotInitialized',
'typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedAndInitialized === undefined',
'! definedAndInitialized',
'!! definedAndInitialized',
'typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.firstProp === undefined',
'! someObject.firstProp',
'!! someObject.firstProp',
'typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.secondProp === undefined',
'! someObject.secondProp',
'!! someObject.secondProp',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.undefinedProp === undefined',
'! someObject.undefinedProp',
'!! someObject.undefinedProp',
'typeof notDefined == "undefined"',
'typeof notDefined === typeof undefined',
'notDefined === undefined',
'! notDefined',
'!! notDefined'
];
var output = document.getElementById('results');
var result = '';
for(var t in tests) {
if( !tests.hasOwnProperty(t) ) continue; // bleh
try {
result = eval(tests[t]);
} catch(ex) {
result = 'Exception--' + ex;
}
console.log(tests[t], result);
output.innerHTML += "\n" + tests[t] + ": " + result;
}
})();
And results:
definedButNotInitialized in window: true
definedAndInitialized in window: false
someObject.firstProp in window: false
someObject.secondProp in window: false
someObject.undefinedProp in window: true
notDefined in window: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
"definedButNotInitialized" in window: false
"definedAndInitialized" in window: true
"someObject.firstProp" in window: false
"someObject.secondProp" in window: false
"someObject.undefinedProp" in window: false
"notDefined" in window: false
typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined": true
typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined: true
definedButNotInitialized === undefined: true
! definedButNotInitialized: true
!! definedButNotInitialized: false
typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined": false
typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined: false
definedAndInitialized === undefined: false
! definedAndInitialized: false
!! definedAndInitialized: true
typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.firstProp === undefined: false
! someObject.firstProp: false
!! someObject.firstProp: true
typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.secondProp === undefined: false
! someObject.secondProp: true
!! someObject.secondProp: false
typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined": true
typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined: true
someObject.undefinedProp === undefined: true
! someObject.undefinedProp: true
!! someObject.undefinedProp: false
typeof notDefined == "undefined": true
typeof notDefined === typeof undefined: true
notDefined === undefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
!! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined

In this article I read that frameworks like Underscore.js use this function:
function isUndefined(obj){
return obj === void 0;
}

Personally, I always use the following:
var x;
if( x === undefined) {
//Do something here
}
else {
//Do something else here
}
The window.undefined property is non-writable in all modern browsers (JavaScript 1.8.5 or later). From Mozilla's documentation: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/undefined, I see this: One reason to use typeof() is that it does not throw an error if the variable has not been defined.
I prefer to have the approach of using
x === undefined
because it fails and blows up in my face rather than silently passing/failing if x has not been declared before. This alerts me that x is not declared. I believe all variables used in JavaScript should be declared.

The most reliable way I know of checking for undefined is to use void 0.
This is compatible with newer and older browsers, alike, and cannot be overwritten like window.undefined can in some cases.
if( myVar === void 0){
//yup it's undefined
}

Since none of the other answers helped me, I suggest doing this. It worked for me in Internet Explorer 8:
if (typeof variable_name.value === 'undefined') {
// variable_name is undefined
}

// x has not been defined before
if (typeof x === 'undefined') { // Evaluates to true without errors.
// These statements execute.
}
if (x === undefined) { // Throws a ReferenceError
}

On the contrary of #Thomas Eding answer:
If I forget to declare myVar in my code, then I'll get myVar is not defined.
Let's take a real example:
I've a variable name, but I am not sure if it is declared somewhere or not.
Then #Anurag's answer will help:
var myVariableToCheck = 'myVar';
if (window[myVariableToCheck] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");
// Or you can check it directly
if (window['myVar'] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");

var x;
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
if (typeof y === "undefined") {
alert ("I am not even declared.")
};
/* One more thing to understand: typeof ==='undefined' also checks
for if a variable is declared, but no value is assigned. In other
words, the variable is declared, but not defined. */
// Will repeat above logic of x for typeof === 'undefined'
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
/* So typeof === 'undefined' works for both, but x === undefined
only works for a variable which is at least declared. */
/* Say if I try using typeof === undefined (not in quotes) for
a variable which is not even declared, we will get run a
time error. */
if (z === undefined) {
alert ("I am neither declared nor defined.")
};
// I got this error for z ReferenceError: z is not defined

I use it as a function parameter and exclude it on function execution that way I get the "real" undefined. Although it does require you to put your code inside a function. I found this while reading the jQuery source.
undefined = 2;
(function (undefined) {
console.log(undefined); // prints out undefined
// and for comparison:
if (undeclaredvar === undefined) console.log("it works!")
})()
Of course you could just use typeof though. But all my code is usually inside a containing function anyways, so using this method probably saves me a few bytes here and there.

How to test for undefined doc value - React & Firestore [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Detecting an undefined object property
(50 answers)
How to check a not-defined variable in JavaScript
(15 answers)
How to handle 'undefined' in JavaScript [duplicate]
(3 answers)
How can I check if a variable exist in JavaScript?
(8 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
What is the most appropriate way to test if a variable is undefined in JavaScript?
I've seen several possible ways:
if (window.myVariable)
Or
if (typeof(myVariable) != "undefined")
Or
if (myVariable) // This throws an error if undefined. Should this be in Try/Catch?

If you are interested in finding out whether a variable has been declared regardless of its value, then using the in operator is the safest way to go. Consider this example:
// global scope
var theFu; // theFu has been declared, but its value is undefined
typeof theFu; // "undefined"
But this may not be the intended result for some cases, since the variable or property was declared but just not initialized. Use the in operator for a more robust check.
"theFu" in window; // true
"theFoo" in window; // false
If you are interested in knowing whether the variable hasn't been declared or has the value undefined, then use the typeof operator, which is guaranteed to return a string:
if (typeof myVar !== 'undefined')
Direct comparisons against undefined are troublesome as undefined can be overwritten.
window.undefined = "foo";
"foo" == undefined // true
As #CMS pointed out, this has been patched in ECMAScript 5th ed., and undefined is non-writable.
if (window.myVar) will also include these falsy values, so it's not very robust:
false
0
""
NaN
null
undefined
Thanks to #CMS for pointing out that your third case - if (myVariable) can also throw an error in two cases. The first is when the variable hasn't been defined which throws a ReferenceError.
// abc was never declared.
if (abc) {
// ReferenceError: abc is not defined
}
The other case is when the variable has been defined, but has a getter function which throws an error when invoked. For example,
// or it's a property that can throw an error
Object.defineProperty(window, "myVariable", {
get: function() { throw new Error("W00t?"); },
set: undefined
});
if (myVariable) {
// Error: W00t?
}

I personally use
myVar === undefined
Warning: Please note that === is used over == and that myVar has been previously declared (not defined).
I do not like typeof myVar === "undefined". I think it is long winded and unnecessary. (I can get the same done in less code.)
Now some people will keel over in pain when they read this, screaming: "Wait! WAAITTT!!! undefined can be redefined!"
Cool. I know this. Then again, most variables in Javascript can be redefined. Should you never use any built-in identifier that can be redefined?
If you follow this rule, good for you: you aren't a hypocrite.
The thing is, in order to do lots of real work in JS, developers need to rely on redefinable identifiers to be what they are. I don't hear people telling me that I shouldn't use setTimeout because someone can
window.setTimeout = function () {
alert("Got you now!");
};
Bottom line, the "it can be redefined" argument to not use a raw === undefined is bogus.
(If you are still scared of undefined being redefined, why are you blindly integrating untested library code into your code base? Or even simpler: a linting tool.)
Also, like the typeof approach, this technique can "detect" undeclared variables:
if (window.someVar === undefined) {
doSomething();
}
But both these techniques leak in their abstraction. I urge you not to use this or even
if (typeof myVar !== "undefined") {
doSomething();
}
Consider:
var iAmUndefined;
To catch whether or not that variable is declared or not, you may need to resort to the in operator. (In many cases, you can simply read the code O_o).
if ("myVar" in window) {
doSomething();
}
But wait! There's more! What if some prototype chain magic is happening…? Now even the superior in operator does not suffice. (Okay, I'm done here about this part except to say that for 99% of the time, === undefined (and ****cough**** typeof) works just fine. If you really care, you can read about this subject on its own.)

2020 Update
One of my reasons for preferring a typeof check (namely, that undefined can be redefined) became irrelevant with the mass adoption of ECMAScript 5. The other, that you can use typeof to check the type of an undeclared variable, was always niche. Therefore, I'd now recommend using a direct comparison in most situations:
myVariable === undefined
Original answer from 2010
Using typeof is my preference. It will work when the variable has never been declared, unlike any comparison with the == or === operators or type coercion using if. (undefined, unlike null, may also be redefined in ECMAScript 3 environments, making it unreliable for comparison, although nearly all common environments now are compliant with ECMAScript 5 or above).
if (typeof someUndeclaredVariable == "undefined") {
// Works
}
if (someUndeclaredVariable === undefined) {
// Throws an error
}

You can use typeof, like this:
if (typeof something != "undefined") {
// ...
}

Update 2018-07-25
It's been nearly five years since this post was first made, and JavaScript has come a long way. In repeating the tests in the original post, I found no consistent difference between the following test methods:
abc === undefined
abc === void 0
typeof abc == 'undefined'
typeof abc === 'undefined'
Even when I modified the tests to prevent Chrome from optimizing them away, the differences were insignificant. As such, I'd now recommend abc === undefined for clarity.
Relevant content from chrome://version:
Google Chrome: 67.0.3396.99 (Official Build) (64-bit) (cohort: Stable)
Revision: a337fbf3c2ab8ebc6b64b0bfdce73a20e2e2252b-refs/branch-heads/3396#{#790}
OS: Windows
JavaScript: V8 6.7.288.46
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/67.0.3396.99 Safari/537.36
Original post 2013-11-01
In Google Chrome, the following was ever so slightly faster than a typeof test:
if (abc === void 0) {
// Undefined
}
The difference was negligible. However, this code is more concise, and clearer at a glance to someone who knows what void 0 means. Note, however, that abc must still be declared.
Both typeof and void were significantly faster than comparing directly against undefined. I used the following test format in the Chrome developer console:
var abc;
start = +new Date();
for (var i = 0; i < 10000000; i++) {
if (TEST) {
void 1;
}
}
end = +new Date();
end - start;
The results were as follows:
Test: | abc === undefined abc === void 0 typeof abc == 'undefined'
------+---------------------------------------------------------------------
x10M | 13678 ms 9854 ms 9888 ms
x1 | 1367.8 ns 985.4 ns 988.8 ns
Note that the first row is in milliseconds, while the second row is in nanoseconds. A difference of 3.4 nanoseconds is nothing. The times were pretty consistent in subsequent tests.

If it is undefined, it will not be equal to a string that contains the characters "undefined", as the string is not undefined.
You can check the type of the variable:
if (typeof(something) != "undefined") ...
Sometimes you don't even have to check the type. If the value of the variable can't evaluate to false when it's set (for example if it's a function), then you can just evalue the variable. Example:
if (something) {
something(param);
}

if (typeof foo == 'undefined') {
// Do something
};
Note that strict comparison (!==) is not necessary in this case, since typeof will always return a string.

Some scenarios illustrating the results of the various answers:
http://jsfiddle.net/drzaus/UVjM4/
(Note that the use of var for in tests make a difference when in a scoped wrapper)
Code for reference:
(function(undefined) {
var definedButNotInitialized;
definedAndInitialized = 3;
someObject = {
firstProp: "1"
, secondProp: false
// , undefinedProp not defined
}
// var notDefined;
var tests = [
'definedButNotInitialized in window',
'definedAndInitialized in window',
'someObject.firstProp in window',
'someObject.secondProp in window',
'someObject.undefinedProp in window',
'notDefined in window',
'"definedButNotInitialized" in window',
'"definedAndInitialized" in window',
'"someObject.firstProp" in window',
'"someObject.secondProp" in window',
'"someObject.undefinedProp" in window',
'"notDefined" in window',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedButNotInitialized === undefined',
'! definedButNotInitialized',
'!! definedButNotInitialized',
'typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedAndInitialized === undefined',
'! definedAndInitialized',
'!! definedAndInitialized',
'typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.firstProp === undefined',
'! someObject.firstProp',
'!! someObject.firstProp',
'typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.secondProp === undefined',
'! someObject.secondProp',
'!! someObject.secondProp',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.undefinedProp === undefined',
'! someObject.undefinedProp',
'!! someObject.undefinedProp',
'typeof notDefined == "undefined"',
'typeof notDefined === typeof undefined',
'notDefined === undefined',
'! notDefined',
'!! notDefined'
];
var output = document.getElementById('results');
var result = '';
for(var t in tests) {
if( !tests.hasOwnProperty(t) ) continue; // bleh
try {
result = eval(tests[t]);
} catch(ex) {
result = 'Exception--' + ex;
}
console.log(tests[t], result);
output.innerHTML += "\n" + tests[t] + ": " + result;
}
})();
And results:
definedButNotInitialized in window: true
definedAndInitialized in window: false
someObject.firstProp in window: false
someObject.secondProp in window: false
someObject.undefinedProp in window: true
notDefined in window: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
"definedButNotInitialized" in window: false
"definedAndInitialized" in window: true
"someObject.firstProp" in window: false
"someObject.secondProp" in window: false
"someObject.undefinedProp" in window: false
"notDefined" in window: false
typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined": true
typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined: true
definedButNotInitialized === undefined: true
! definedButNotInitialized: true
!! definedButNotInitialized: false
typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined": false
typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined: false
definedAndInitialized === undefined: false
! definedAndInitialized: false
!! definedAndInitialized: true
typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.firstProp === undefined: false
! someObject.firstProp: false
!! someObject.firstProp: true
typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.secondProp === undefined: false
! someObject.secondProp: true
!! someObject.secondProp: false
typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined": true
typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined: true
someObject.undefinedProp === undefined: true
! someObject.undefinedProp: true
!! someObject.undefinedProp: false
typeof notDefined == "undefined": true
typeof notDefined === typeof undefined: true
notDefined === undefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
!! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined

In this article I read that frameworks like Underscore.js use this function:
function isUndefined(obj){
return obj === void 0;
}

Personally, I always use the following:
var x;
if( x === undefined) {
//Do something here
}
else {
//Do something else here
}
The window.undefined property is non-writable in all modern browsers (JavaScript 1.8.5 or later). From Mozilla's documentation: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/undefined, I see this: One reason to use typeof() is that it does not throw an error if the variable has not been defined.
I prefer to have the approach of using
x === undefined
because it fails and blows up in my face rather than silently passing/failing if x has not been declared before. This alerts me that x is not declared. I believe all variables used in JavaScript should be declared.

The most reliable way I know of checking for undefined is to use void 0.
This is compatible with newer and older browsers, alike, and cannot be overwritten like window.undefined can in some cases.
if( myVar === void 0){
//yup it's undefined
}

Since none of the other answers helped me, I suggest doing this. It worked for me in Internet Explorer 8:
if (typeof variable_name.value === 'undefined') {
// variable_name is undefined
}

// x has not been defined before
if (typeof x === 'undefined') { // Evaluates to true without errors.
// These statements execute.
}
if (x === undefined) { // Throws a ReferenceError
}

On the contrary of #Thomas Eding answer:
If I forget to declare myVar in my code, then I'll get myVar is not defined.
Let's take a real example:
I've a variable name, but I am not sure if it is declared somewhere or not.
Then #Anurag's answer will help:
var myVariableToCheck = 'myVar';
if (window[myVariableToCheck] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");
// Or you can check it directly
if (window['myVar'] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");

var x;
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
if (typeof y === "undefined") {
alert ("I am not even declared.")
};
/* One more thing to understand: typeof ==='undefined' also checks
for if a variable is declared, but no value is assigned. In other
words, the variable is declared, but not defined. */
// Will repeat above logic of x for typeof === 'undefined'
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
/* So typeof === 'undefined' works for both, but x === undefined
only works for a variable which is at least declared. */
/* Say if I try using typeof === undefined (not in quotes) for
a variable which is not even declared, we will get run a
time error. */
if (z === undefined) {
alert ("I am neither declared nor defined.")
};
// I got this error for z ReferenceError: z is not defined

I use it as a function parameter and exclude it on function execution that way I get the "real" undefined. Although it does require you to put your code inside a function. I found this while reading the jQuery source.
undefined = 2;
(function (undefined) {
console.log(undefined); // prints out undefined
// and for comparison:
if (undeclaredvar === undefined) console.log("it works!")
})()
Of course you could just use typeof though. But all my code is usually inside a containing function anyways, so using this method probably saves me a few bytes here and there.

Comparison with undefined or "undefined" when checking for object property. What is the difference?

I encountered this difference between undefined and "undefined" and I am trying to understand it.
I was checking whether properties in objects are defined or not.
In first example I checked whether property is not undefined. All the test below evaluates to true. It doesn't matter whether I use "undefined" or undefined.
var test = {
x: 1,
y: 2
};
if (test.x != "undefined") console.log('test.x != "undefined"'); //TRUE
if (test.x !== "undefined") console.log('test.x !== "undefined"'); //TRUE
if (test.x != undefined) console.log('test.x != undefined'); //TRUE
if (test.x !== undefined) console.log('test.x !== undefined'); //TRUE
Then I tried it with property which is not defined.It only evaluates to true if i use undefined (not string literal) or with typeof.
var test = {
x: 1,
y: 2
};
if (test.z === undefined) console.log("test.z === undefined"); //TRUE
if (test.z == undefined) console.log("test.z == undefined"); //TRUE
if (test.z === "undefined") console.log("test.z === 'undefined'"); //FALSE
if (test.z == "undefined") console.log("test.z == 'undefined'"); //FALSE
if (typeof test.z === "undefined") console.log("typeof test.z === 'undefined'"); //TRUE
So my question is: why the difference (I guess I don't understand something ...). Is it bad practice that I used comparison to "undefined"/undefined rather than .hasOwnProperty()?

undefined and "undefined" are different values. The former is undefined, the latter is a string.
What you've probably seen isn't x === "undefined" and x === undefined, but rather typeof x === "undefined" and x === undefined. Note the typeof. One of the reasons you see the former (with typeof) is historic and no longer relevant, but not all of the reasons are.
Assuming a declared identifier x and that undefined has not been shadowed, these two statements are effectively the same other than the first one has to do a teensy bit more work:
typeof x === "undefined"
x === undefined
But if x isn't declared, the former will evaluate true, and the latter will fail with a ReferenceError. (In the general case, you probably want the ReferenceError as it alerts you to the undeclared idenfier, but there are use cases for the former.)
But undefined is, unfortunately, not a keyword (like null); it's a global constant. That means that undefined can be shadowed:
function foo(undefined) {
var x; // x defaults to the value undefined
console.log(typeof x === "undefined"); // true
console.log(x === undefined); // false?!?!
}
foo(42);
In practice, if you find someone shadowing undefined and giving it a value other than undefined, take them out back and beat them about the head and shoulders with a wet noodle until they see sense. But...
Historically, there was many years ago a problem with the undefined value in one window not being === to the undefined value. And so if you had code that might be dealing with values from across windows, comparing with === undefined wasn't a reliable way to check for undefined. A couple of years back I checked all even vaguely-recent browsers and that wasn't an issue (I suspect it hasn't been for much longer than that).

When you are checking for "undefined" (in quotes) then you are checking for string with value "undefined".
Whereas when you are checking for undefined then it is checked if the property or the variable is defined or not. Therefore you can use this to check if the property is defined.

Why do idiomatic.js and jQuery recommend `variable === undefined` for local variables [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
Detecting an undefined object property
(50 answers)
How to check a not-defined variable in JavaScript
(15 answers)
How to handle 'undefined' in JavaScript [duplicate]
(3 answers)
How can I check if a variable exist in JavaScript?
(8 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
What is the most appropriate way to test if a variable is undefined in JavaScript?
I've seen several possible ways:
if (window.myVariable)
Or
if (typeof(myVariable) != "undefined")
Or
if (myVariable) // This throws an error if undefined. Should this be in Try/Catch?

If you are interested in finding out whether a variable has been declared regardless of its value, then using the in operator is the safest way to go. Consider this example:
// global scope
var theFu; // theFu has been declared, but its value is undefined
typeof theFu; // "undefined"
But this may not be the intended result for some cases, since the variable or property was declared but just not initialized. Use the in operator for a more robust check.
"theFu" in window; // true
"theFoo" in window; // false
If you are interested in knowing whether the variable hasn't been declared or has the value undefined, then use the typeof operator, which is guaranteed to return a string:
if (typeof myVar !== 'undefined')
Direct comparisons against undefined are troublesome as undefined can be overwritten.
window.undefined = "foo";
"foo" == undefined // true
As #CMS pointed out, this has been patched in ECMAScript 5th ed., and undefined is non-writable.
if (window.myVar) will also include these falsy values, so it's not very robust:
false
0
""
NaN
null
undefined
Thanks to #CMS for pointing out that your third case - if (myVariable) can also throw an error in two cases. The first is when the variable hasn't been defined which throws a ReferenceError.
// abc was never declared.
if (abc) {
// ReferenceError: abc is not defined
}
The other case is when the variable has been defined, but has a getter function which throws an error when invoked. For example,
// or it's a property that can throw an error
Object.defineProperty(window, "myVariable", {
get: function() { throw new Error("W00t?"); },
set: undefined
});
if (myVariable) {
// Error: W00t?
}

I personally use
myVar === undefined
Warning: Please note that === is used over == and that myVar has been previously declared (not defined).
I do not like typeof myVar === "undefined". I think it is long winded and unnecessary. (I can get the same done in less code.)
Now some people will keel over in pain when they read this, screaming: "Wait! WAAITTT!!! undefined can be redefined!"
Cool. I know this. Then again, most variables in Javascript can be redefined. Should you never use any built-in identifier that can be redefined?
If you follow this rule, good for you: you aren't a hypocrite.
The thing is, in order to do lots of real work in JS, developers need to rely on redefinable identifiers to be what they are. I don't hear people telling me that I shouldn't use setTimeout because someone can
window.setTimeout = function () {
alert("Got you now!");
};
Bottom line, the "it can be redefined" argument to not use a raw === undefined is bogus.
(If you are still scared of undefined being redefined, why are you blindly integrating untested library code into your code base? Or even simpler: a linting tool.)
Also, like the typeof approach, this technique can "detect" undeclared variables:
if (window.someVar === undefined) {
doSomething();
}
But both these techniques leak in their abstraction. I urge you not to use this or even
if (typeof myVar !== "undefined") {
doSomething();
}
Consider:
var iAmUndefined;
To catch whether or not that variable is declared or not, you may need to resort to the in operator. (In many cases, you can simply read the code O_o).
if ("myVar" in window) {
doSomething();
}
But wait! There's more! What if some prototype chain magic is happening…? Now even the superior in operator does not suffice. (Okay, I'm done here about this part except to say that for 99% of the time, === undefined (and ****cough**** typeof) works just fine. If you really care, you can read about this subject on its own.)

2020 Update
One of my reasons for preferring a typeof check (namely, that undefined can be redefined) became irrelevant with the mass adoption of ECMAScript 5. The other, that you can use typeof to check the type of an undeclared variable, was always niche. Therefore, I'd now recommend using a direct comparison in most situations:
myVariable === undefined
Original answer from 2010
Using typeof is my preference. It will work when the variable has never been declared, unlike any comparison with the == or === operators or type coercion using if. (undefined, unlike null, may also be redefined in ECMAScript 3 environments, making it unreliable for comparison, although nearly all common environments now are compliant with ECMAScript 5 or above).
if (typeof someUndeclaredVariable == "undefined") {
// Works
}
if (someUndeclaredVariable === undefined) {
// Throws an error
}

You can use typeof, like this:
if (typeof something != "undefined") {
// ...
}

Update 2018-07-25
It's been nearly five years since this post was first made, and JavaScript has come a long way. In repeating the tests in the original post, I found no consistent difference between the following test methods:
abc === undefined
abc === void 0
typeof abc == 'undefined'
typeof abc === 'undefined'
Even when I modified the tests to prevent Chrome from optimizing them away, the differences were insignificant. As such, I'd now recommend abc === undefined for clarity.
Relevant content from chrome://version:
Google Chrome: 67.0.3396.99 (Official Build) (64-bit) (cohort: Stable)
Revision: a337fbf3c2ab8ebc6b64b0bfdce73a20e2e2252b-refs/branch-heads/3396#{#790}
OS: Windows
JavaScript: V8 6.7.288.46
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/67.0.3396.99 Safari/537.36
Original post 2013-11-01
In Google Chrome, the following was ever so slightly faster than a typeof test:
if (abc === void 0) {
// Undefined
}
The difference was negligible. However, this code is more concise, and clearer at a glance to someone who knows what void 0 means. Note, however, that abc must still be declared.
Both typeof and void were significantly faster than comparing directly against undefined. I used the following test format in the Chrome developer console:
var abc;
start = +new Date();
for (var i = 0; i < 10000000; i++) {
if (TEST) {
void 1;
}
}
end = +new Date();
end - start;
The results were as follows:
Test: | abc === undefined abc === void 0 typeof abc == 'undefined'
------+---------------------------------------------------------------------
x10M | 13678 ms 9854 ms 9888 ms
x1 | 1367.8 ns 985.4 ns 988.8 ns
Note that the first row is in milliseconds, while the second row is in nanoseconds. A difference of 3.4 nanoseconds is nothing. The times were pretty consistent in subsequent tests.

If it is undefined, it will not be equal to a string that contains the characters "undefined", as the string is not undefined.
You can check the type of the variable:
if (typeof(something) != "undefined") ...
Sometimes you don't even have to check the type. If the value of the variable can't evaluate to false when it's set (for example if it's a function), then you can just evalue the variable. Example:
if (something) {
something(param);
}

if (typeof foo == 'undefined') {
// Do something
};
Note that strict comparison (!==) is not necessary in this case, since typeof will always return a string.

Some scenarios illustrating the results of the various answers:
http://jsfiddle.net/drzaus/UVjM4/
(Note that the use of var for in tests make a difference when in a scoped wrapper)
Code for reference:
(function(undefined) {
var definedButNotInitialized;
definedAndInitialized = 3;
someObject = {
firstProp: "1"
, secondProp: false
// , undefinedProp not defined
}
// var notDefined;
var tests = [
'definedButNotInitialized in window',
'definedAndInitialized in window',
'someObject.firstProp in window',
'someObject.secondProp in window',
'someObject.undefinedProp in window',
'notDefined in window',
'"definedButNotInitialized" in window',
'"definedAndInitialized" in window',
'"someObject.firstProp" in window',
'"someObject.secondProp" in window',
'"someObject.undefinedProp" in window',
'"notDefined" in window',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedButNotInitialized === undefined',
'! definedButNotInitialized',
'!! definedButNotInitialized',
'typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedAndInitialized === undefined',
'! definedAndInitialized',
'!! definedAndInitialized',
'typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.firstProp === undefined',
'! someObject.firstProp',
'!! someObject.firstProp',
'typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.secondProp === undefined',
'! someObject.secondProp',
'!! someObject.secondProp',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.undefinedProp === undefined',
'! someObject.undefinedProp',
'!! someObject.undefinedProp',
'typeof notDefined == "undefined"',
'typeof notDefined === typeof undefined',
'notDefined === undefined',
'! notDefined',
'!! notDefined'
];
var output = document.getElementById('results');
var result = '';
for(var t in tests) {
if( !tests.hasOwnProperty(t) ) continue; // bleh
try {
result = eval(tests[t]);
} catch(ex) {
result = 'Exception--' + ex;
}
console.log(tests[t], result);
output.innerHTML += "\n" + tests[t] + ": " + result;
}
})();
And results:
definedButNotInitialized in window: true
definedAndInitialized in window: false
someObject.firstProp in window: false
someObject.secondProp in window: false
someObject.undefinedProp in window: true
notDefined in window: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
"definedButNotInitialized" in window: false
"definedAndInitialized" in window: true
"someObject.firstProp" in window: false
"someObject.secondProp" in window: false
"someObject.undefinedProp" in window: false
"notDefined" in window: false
typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined": true
typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined: true
definedButNotInitialized === undefined: true
! definedButNotInitialized: true
!! definedButNotInitialized: false
typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined": false
typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined: false
definedAndInitialized === undefined: false
! definedAndInitialized: false
!! definedAndInitialized: true
typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.firstProp === undefined: false
! someObject.firstProp: false
!! someObject.firstProp: true
typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.secondProp === undefined: false
! someObject.secondProp: true
!! someObject.secondProp: false
typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined": true
typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined: true
someObject.undefinedProp === undefined: true
! someObject.undefinedProp: true
!! someObject.undefinedProp: false
typeof notDefined == "undefined": true
typeof notDefined === typeof undefined: true
notDefined === undefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
!! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined

In this article I read that frameworks like Underscore.js use this function:
function isUndefined(obj){
return obj === void 0;
}

Personally, I always use the following:
var x;
if( x === undefined) {
//Do something here
}
else {
//Do something else here
}
The window.undefined property is non-writable in all modern browsers (JavaScript 1.8.5 or later). From Mozilla's documentation: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/undefined, I see this: One reason to use typeof() is that it does not throw an error if the variable has not been defined.
I prefer to have the approach of using
x === undefined
because it fails and blows up in my face rather than silently passing/failing if x has not been declared before. This alerts me that x is not declared. I believe all variables used in JavaScript should be declared.

The most reliable way I know of checking for undefined is to use void 0.
This is compatible with newer and older browsers, alike, and cannot be overwritten like window.undefined can in some cases.
if( myVar === void 0){
//yup it's undefined
}

Since none of the other answers helped me, I suggest doing this. It worked for me in Internet Explorer 8:
if (typeof variable_name.value === 'undefined') {
// variable_name is undefined
}

// x has not been defined before
if (typeof x === 'undefined') { // Evaluates to true without errors.
// These statements execute.
}
if (x === undefined) { // Throws a ReferenceError
}

On the contrary of #Thomas Eding answer:
If I forget to declare myVar in my code, then I'll get myVar is not defined.
Let's take a real example:
I've a variable name, but I am not sure if it is declared somewhere or not.
Then #Anurag's answer will help:
var myVariableToCheck = 'myVar';
if (window[myVariableToCheck] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");
// Or you can check it directly
if (window['myVar'] === undefined)
console.log("Not declared or declared, but undefined.");

var x;
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
if (typeof y === "undefined") {
alert ("I am not even declared.")
};
/* One more thing to understand: typeof ==='undefined' also checks
for if a variable is declared, but no value is assigned. In other
words, the variable is declared, but not defined. */
// Will repeat above logic of x for typeof === 'undefined'
if (x === undefined) {
alert ("I am declared, but not defined.")
};
/* So typeof === 'undefined' works for both, but x === undefined
only works for a variable which is at least declared. */
/* Say if I try using typeof === undefined (not in quotes) for
a variable which is not even declared, we will get run a
time error. */
if (z === undefined) {
alert ("I am neither declared nor defined.")
};
// I got this error for z ReferenceError: z is not defined

I use it as a function parameter and exclude it on function execution that way I get the "real" undefined. Although it does require you to put your code inside a function. I found this while reading the jQuery source.
undefined = 2;
(function (undefined) {
console.log(undefined); // prints out undefined
// and for comparison:
if (undeclaredvar === undefined) console.log("it works!")
})()
Of course you could just use typeof though. But all my code is usually inside a containing function anyways, so using this method probably saves me a few bytes here and there.

Detecting an undefined object property

How do I check if an object property in JavaScript is undefined?

The usual way to check if the value of a property is the special value undefined, is:
if(o.myProperty === undefined) {
alert("myProperty value is the special value `undefined`");
}
To check if an object does not actually have such a property, and will therefore return undefined by default when you try to access it:
if(!o.hasOwnProperty('myProperty')) {
alert("myProperty does not exist");
}
To check if the value associated with an identifier is the special value undefined, or if that identifier has not been declared:
if(typeof myVariable === 'undefined') {
alert('myVariable is either the special value `undefined`, or it has not been declared');
}
Note: this last method is the only way to refer to an undeclared identifier without an early error, which is different from having a value of undefined.
In versions of JavaScript prior to ECMAScript 5, the property named "undefined" on the global object was writeable, and therefore a simple check foo === undefined might behave unexpectedly if it had accidentally been redefined. In modern JavaScript, the property is read-only.
However, in modern JavaScript, "undefined" is not a keyword, and so variables inside functions can be named "undefined" and shadow the global property.
If you are worried about this (unlikely) edge case, you can use the void operator to get at the special undefined value itself:
if(myVariable === void 0) {
alert("myVariable is the special value `undefined`");
}

I believe there are a number of incorrect answers to this topic. Contrary to common belief, "undefined" is not a keyword in JavaScript and can in fact have a value assigned to it.
Correct Code
The most robust way to perform this test is:
if (typeof myVar === "undefined")
This will always return the correct result, and even handles the situation where myVar is not declared.
Degenerate code. DO NOT USE.
var undefined = false; // Shockingly, this is completely legal!
if (myVar === undefined) {
alert("You have been misled. Run away!");
}
Additionally, myVar === undefined will raise an error in the situation where myVar is undeclared.

Many answers here are vehement in recommending typeof, but typeof is a bad choice. It should never be used for checking whether variables have the value undefined, because it acts as a combined check for the value undefined and for whether a variable exists. In the vast majority of cases, you know when a variable exists, and typeof will just introduce the potential for a silent failure if you make a typo in the variable name or in the string literal 'undefined'.
var snapshot = …;
if (typeof snaposhot === 'undefined') {
// ^
// misspelled¹ – this will never run, but it won’t throw an error!
}
var foo = …;
if (typeof foo === 'undefned') {
// ^
// misspelled – this will never run, but it won’t throw an error!
}
So unless you’re doing feature detection², where there’s uncertainty whether a given name will be in scope (like checking typeof module !== 'undefined' as a step in code specific to a CommonJS environment), typeof is a harmful choice when used on a variable, and the correct option is to compare the value directly:
var foo = …;
if (foo === undefined) {
⋮
}
Some common misconceptions about this include:
that reading an “uninitialized” variable (var foo) or parameter (function bar(foo) { … }, called as bar()) will fail. This is simply not true – variables without explicit initialization and parameters that weren’t given values always become undefined, and are always in scope.
that undefined can be overwritten. It’s true that undefined isn’t a keyword, but it is read-only and non-configurable. There are other built-ins you probably don’t avoid despite their non-keyword status (Object, Math, NaN…) and practical code usually isn’t written in an actively malicious environment, so this isn’t a good reason to be worried about undefined. (But if you are writing a code generator, feel free to use void 0.)
With how variables work out of the way, it’s time to address the actual question: object properties. There is no reason to ever use typeof for object properties. The earlier exception regarding feature detection doesn’t apply here – typeof only has special behaviour on variables, and expressions that reference object properties are not variables.
This:
if (typeof foo.bar === 'undefined') {
⋮
}
is always exactly equivalent to this³:
if (foo.bar === undefined) {
⋮
}
and taking into account the advice above, to avoid confusing readers as to why you’re using typeof, because it makes the most sense to use === to check for equality, because it could be refactored to checking a variable’s value later, and because it just plain looks better, you should always use === undefined³ here as well.
Something else to consider when it comes to object properties is whether you really want to check for undefined at all. A given property name can be absent on an object (producing the value undefined when read), present on the object itself with the value undefined, present on the object’s prototype with the value undefined, or present on either of those with a non-undefined value. 'key' in obj will tell you whether a key is anywhere on an object’s prototype chain, and Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, 'key') will tell you whether it’s directly on the object. I won’t go into detail in this answer about prototypes and using objects as string-keyed maps, though, because it’s mostly intended to counter all the bad advice in other answers irrespective of the possible interpretations of the original question. Read up on object prototypes on MDN for more!
¹ unusual choice of example variable name? this is real dead code from the NoScript extension for Firefox.
² don’t assume that not knowing what’s in scope is okay in general, though. bonus vulnerability caused by abuse of dynamic scope: Project Zero 1225
³ once again assuming an ES5+ environment and that undefined refers to the undefined property of the global object.

In JavaScript there is null and there is undefined. They have different meanings.
undefined means that the variable value has not been defined; it is not known what the value is.
null means that the variable value is defined and set to null (has no value).
Marijn Haverbeke states, in his free, online book "Eloquent JavaScript" (emphasis mine):
There is also a similar value, null, whose meaning is 'this value is defined, but it does not have a value'. The difference in meaning between undefined and null is mostly academic, and usually not very interesting. In practical programs, it is often necessary to check whether something 'has a value'. In these cases, the expression something == undefined may be used, because, even though they are not exactly the same value, null == undefined will produce true.
So, I guess the best way to check if something was undefined would be:
if (something == undefined)
Object properties should work the same way.
var person = {
name: "John",
age: 28,
sex: "male"
};
alert(person.name); // "John"
alert(person.fakeVariable); // undefined

What does this mean: "undefined object property"?
Actually it can mean two quite different things! First, it can mean the property that has never been defined in the object and, second, it can mean the property that has an undefined value. Let's look at this code:
var o = { a: undefined }
Is o.a undefined? Yes! Its value is undefined. Is o.b undefined? Sure! There is no property 'b' at all! OK, see now how different approaches behave in both situations:
typeof o.a == 'undefined' // true
typeof o.b == 'undefined' // true
o.a === undefined // true
o.b === undefined // true
'a' in o // true
'b' in o // false
We can clearly see that typeof obj.prop == 'undefined' and obj.prop === undefined are equivalent, and they do not distinguish those different situations. And 'prop' in obj can detect the situation when a property hasn't been defined at all and doesn't pay attention to the property value which may be undefined.
So what to do?
1) You want to know if a property is undefined by either the first or second meaning (the most typical situation).
obj.prop === undefined // IMHO, see "final fight" below
2) You want to just know if object has some property and don't care about its value.
'prop' in obj
Notes:
You can't check an object and its property at the same time. For example, this x.a === undefined or this typeof x.a == 'undefined' raises ReferenceError: x is not defined if x is not defined.
Variable undefined is a global variable (so actually it is window.undefined in browsers). It has been supported since ECMAScript 1st Edition and since ECMAScript 5 it is read only. So in modern browsers it can't be redefined to true as many authors love to frighten us with, but this is still a true for older browsers.
Final fight: obj.prop === undefined vs typeof obj.prop == 'undefined'
Pluses of obj.prop === undefined:
It's a bit shorter and looks a bit prettier
The JavaScript engine will give you an error if you have misspelled undefined
Minuses of obj.prop === undefined:
undefined can be overridden in old browsers
Pluses of typeof obj.prop == 'undefined':
It is really universal! It works in new and old browsers.
Minuses of typeof obj.prop == 'undefined':
'undefned' (misspelled) here is just a string constant, so the JavaScript engine can't help you if you have misspelled it like I just did.
Update (for server-side JavaScript):
Node.js supports the global variable undefined as global.undefined (it can also be used without the 'global' prefix). I don't know about other implementations of server-side JavaScript.

The issue boils down to three cases:
The object has the property and its value is not undefined.
The object has the property and its value is undefined.
The object does not have the property.
This tells us something I consider important:
There is a difference between an undefined member and a defined member with an undefined value.
But unhappily typeof obj.foo does not tell us which of the three cases we have. However we can combine this with "foo" in obj to distinguish the cases.
| typeof obj.x === 'undefined' | !("x" in obj)
1. { x:1 } | false | false
2. { x : (function(){})() } | true | false
3. {} | true | true
Its worth noting that these tests are the same for null entries too
| typeof obj.x === 'undefined' | !("x" in obj)
{ x:null } | false | false
I'd argue that in some cases it makes more sense (and is clearer) to check whether the property is there, than checking whether it is undefined, and the only case where this check will be different is case 2, the rare case of an actual entry in the object with an undefined value.
For example: I've just been refactoring a bunch of code that had a bunch of checks whether an object had a given property.
if( typeof blob.x != 'undefined' ) { fn(blob.x); }
Which was clearer when written without a check for undefined.
if( "x" in blob ) { fn(blob.x); }
But as has been mentioned these are not exactly the same (but are more than good enough for my needs).

if ( typeof( something ) == "undefined")
This worked for me while the others didn't.

I'm not sure where the origin of using === with typeof came from, and as a convention I see it used in many libraries, but the typeof operator returns a string literal, and we know that up front, so why would you also want to type check it too?
typeof x; // some string literal "string", "object", "undefined"
if (typeof x === "string") { // === is redundant because we already know typeof returns a string literal
if (typeof x == "string") { // sufficient

I didn't see (hope I didn't miss it) anyone checking the object before the property. So, this is the shortest and most effective (though not necessarily the most clear):
if (obj && obj.prop) {
// Do something;
}
If the obj or obj.prop is undefined, null, or "falsy", the if statement will not execute the code block. This is usually the desired behavior in most code block statements (in JavaScript).
UPDATE: (7/2/2021)
The latest version of JavaScript introduces a new operator for
optional chaining: ?.
This is probably going to be the most explicit and efficient method of checking for the existence of object properties, moving forward.
Ref: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Optional_chaining

Crossposting my answer from related question How can I check for "undefined" in JavaScript?.
Specific to this question, see test cases with someObject.<whatever>.
Some scenarios illustrating the results of the various answers:
http://jsfiddle.net/drzaus/UVjM4/
(Note that the use of var for in tests make a difference when in a scoped wrapper)
Code for reference:
(function(undefined) {
var definedButNotInitialized;
definedAndInitialized = 3;
someObject = {
firstProp: "1"
, secondProp: false
// , undefinedProp not defined
}
// var notDefined;
var tests = [
'definedButNotInitialized in window',
'definedAndInitialized in window',
'someObject.firstProp in window',
'someObject.secondProp in window',
'someObject.undefinedProp in window',
'notDefined in window',
'"definedButNotInitialized" in window',
'"definedAndInitialized" in window',
'"someObject.firstProp" in window',
'"someObject.secondProp" in window',
'"someObject.undefinedProp" in window',
'"notDefined" in window',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedButNotInitialized === undefined',
'! definedButNotInitialized',
'!! definedButNotInitialized',
'typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined"',
'typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined',
'definedAndInitialized === undefined',
'! definedAndInitialized',
'!! definedAndInitialized',
'typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.firstProp === undefined',
'! someObject.firstProp',
'!! someObject.firstProp',
'typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.secondProp === undefined',
'! someObject.secondProp',
'!! someObject.secondProp',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined"',
'typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined',
'someObject.undefinedProp === undefined',
'! someObject.undefinedProp',
'!! someObject.undefinedProp',
'typeof notDefined == "undefined"',
'typeof notDefined === typeof undefined',
'notDefined === undefined',
'! notDefined',
'!! notDefined'
];
var output = document.getElementById('results');
var result = '';
for(var t in tests) {
if( !tests.hasOwnProperty(t) ) continue; // bleh
try {
result = eval(tests[t]);
} catch(ex) {
result = 'Exception--' + ex;
}
console.log(tests[t], result);
output.innerHTML += "\n" + tests[t] + ": " + result;
}
})();
And results:
definedButNotInitialized in window: true
definedAndInitialized in window: false
someObject.firstProp in window: false
someObject.secondProp in window: false
someObject.undefinedProp in window: true
notDefined in window: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
"definedButNotInitialized" in window: false
"definedAndInitialized" in window: true
"someObject.firstProp" in window: false
"someObject.secondProp" in window: false
"someObject.undefinedProp" in window: false
"notDefined" in window: false
typeof definedButNotInitialized == "undefined": true
typeof definedButNotInitialized === typeof undefined: true
definedButNotInitialized === undefined: true
! definedButNotInitialized: true
!! definedButNotInitialized: false
typeof definedAndInitialized == "undefined": false
typeof definedAndInitialized === typeof undefined: false
definedAndInitialized === undefined: false
! definedAndInitialized: false
!! definedAndInitialized: true
typeof someObject.firstProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.firstProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.firstProp === undefined: false
! someObject.firstProp: false
!! someObject.firstProp: true
typeof someObject.secondProp == "undefined": false
typeof someObject.secondProp === typeof undefined: false
someObject.secondProp === undefined: false
! someObject.secondProp: true
!! someObject.secondProp: false
typeof someObject.undefinedProp == "undefined": true
typeof someObject.undefinedProp === typeof undefined: true
someObject.undefinedProp === undefined: true
! someObject.undefinedProp: true
!! someObject.undefinedProp: false
typeof notDefined == "undefined": true
typeof notDefined === typeof undefined: true
notDefined === undefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined
!! notDefined: Exception--ReferenceError: notDefined is not defined

If you do
if (myvar == undefined )
{
alert('var does not exists or is not initialized');
}
it will fail when the variable myvar does not exists, because myvar is not defined, so the script is broken and the test has no effect.
Because the window object has a global scope (default object) outside a function, a declaration will be 'attached' to the window object.
For example:
var myvar = 'test';
The global variable myvar is the same as window.myvar or window['myvar']
To avoid errors to test when a global variable exists, you better use:
if(window.myvar == undefined )
{
alert('var does not exists or is not initialized');
}
The question if a variable really exists doesn't matter, its value is incorrect. Otherwise, it is silly to initialize variables with undefined, and it is better use the value false to initialize. When you know that all variables that you declare are initialized with false, you can simply check its type or rely on !window.myvar to check if it has a proper/valid value. So even when the variable is not defined then !window.myvar is the same for myvar = undefined or myvar = false or myvar = 0.
When you expect a specific type, test the type of the variable. To speed up testing a condition you better do:
if( !window.myvar || typeof window.myvar != 'string' )
{
alert('var does not exists or is not type of string');
}
When the first and simple condition is true, the interpreter skips the next tests.
It is always better to use the instance/object of the variable to check if it got a valid value. It is more stable and is a better way of programming.
(y)

In the article Exploring the Abyss of Null and Undefined in JavaScript I read that frameworks like Underscore.js use this function:
function isUndefined(obj){
return obj === void 0;
}

Simply anything is not defined in JavaScript, is undefined, doesn't matter if it's a property inside an Object/Array or as just a simple variable...
JavaScript has typeof which make it very easy to detect an undefined variable.
Simply check if typeof whatever === 'undefined' and it will return a boolean.
That's how the famous function isUndefined() in AngularJs v.1x is written:
function isUndefined(value) {return typeof value === 'undefined';}
So as you see the function receive a value, if that value is defined, it will return false, otherwise for undefined values, return true.
So let's have a look what gonna be the results when we passing values, including object properties like below, this is the list of variables we have:
var stackoverflow = {};
stackoverflow.javascipt = 'javascript';
var today;
var self = this;
var num = 8;
var list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
var y = null;
and we check them as below, you can see the results in front of them as a comment:
isUndefined(stackoverflow); //false
isUndefined(stackoverflow.javascipt); //false
isUndefined(today); //true
isUndefined(self); //false
isUndefined(num); //false
isUndefined(list); //false
isUndefined(y); //false
isUndefined(stackoverflow.java); //true
isUndefined(stackoverflow.php); //true
isUndefined(stackoverflow && stackoverflow.css); //true
As you see we can check anything with using something like this in our code, as mentioned you can simply use typeof in your code, but if you are using it over and over, create a function like the angular sample which I share and keep reusing as following DRY code pattern.
Also one more thing, for checking property on an object in a real application which you not sure even the object exists or not, check if the object exists first.
If you check a property on an object and the object doesn't exist, will throw an error and stop the whole application running.
isUndefined(x.css);
VM808:2 Uncaught ReferenceError: x is not defined(…)
So simple you can wrap inside an if statement like below:
if(typeof x !== 'undefined') {
//do something
}
Which also equal to isDefined in Angular 1.x...
function isDefined(value) {return typeof value !== 'undefined';}
Also other javascript frameworks like underscore has similar defining check, but I recommend you use typeof if you already not using any frameworks.
I also add this section from MDN which has got useful information about typeof, undefined and void(0).
Strict equality and undefined You can use undefined and the strict equality and inequality operators to determine whether a variable has
a value. In the following code, the variable x is not defined, and the
if statement evaluates to true.
var x;
if (x === undefined) {
// these statements execute
}
else {
// these statements do not execute
}
Note: The strict equality operator rather than the standard equality
operator must be used here, because x == undefined also checks whether
x is null, while strict equality doesn't. null is not equivalent to
undefined. See comparison operators for details.
Typeof operator and undefined
Alternatively, typeof can be used:
var x;
if (typeof x === 'undefined') {
// these statements execute
}
One reason to use typeof is that it does not throw an error if the
variable has not been declared.
// x has not been declared before
if (typeof x === 'undefined') { // evaluates to true without errors
// these statements execute
}
if (x === undefined) { // throws a ReferenceError
}
However, this kind of technique should be avoided. JavaScript is a
statically scoped language, so knowing if a variable is declared can
be read by seeing whether it is declared in an enclosing context. The
only exception is the global scope, but the global scope is bound to
the global object, so checking the existence of a variable in the
global context can be done by checking the existence of a property on
the global object (using the in operator, for instance).
Void operator and undefined
The void operator is a third alternative.
var x;
if (x === void 0) {
// these statements execute
}
// y has not been declared before
if (y === void 0) {
// throws a ReferenceError (in contrast to `typeof`)
}
more > here

ECMAScript 10 introduced a new feature - optional chaining which you can use to use a property of an object only when an object is defined like this:
const userPhone = user?.contactDetails?.phone;
It will reference to the phone property only when user and contactDetails are defined.
Ref. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Optional_chaining

'if (window.x) { }' is error safe
Most likely you want if (window.x). This check is safe even if x hasn't been declared (var x;) - browser doesn't throw an error.
Example: I want to know if my browser supports History API
if (window.history) {
history.call_some_function();
}
How this works:
window is an object which holds all global variables as its members, and it is legal to try to access a non-existing member. If x hasn't been declared or hasn't been set then window.x returns undefined. undefined leads to false when if() evaluates it.

Reading through this, I'm amazed I didn't see this. I have found multiple algorithms that would work for this.
Never Defined
If the value of an object was never defined, this will prevent from returning true if it is defined as null or undefined. This is helpful if you want true to be returned for values set as undefined
if(obj.prop === void 0) console.log("The value has never been defined");
Defined as undefined Or never Defined
If you want it to result as true for values defined with the value of undefined, or never defined, you can simply use === undefined
if(obj.prop === undefined) console.log("The value is defined as undefined, or never defined");
Defined as a falsy value, undefined,null, or never defined.
Commonly, people have asked me for an algorithm to figure out if a value is either falsy, undefined, or null. The following works.
if(obj.prop == false || obj.prop === null || obj.prop === undefined) {
console.log("The value is falsy, null, or undefined");
}

"propertyName" in obj //-> true | false

The solution is incorrect. In JavaScript,
null == undefined
will return true, because they both are "casted" to a boolean and are false. The correct way would be to check
if (something === undefined)
which is the identity operator...

Compare with void 0, for terseness.
if (foo !== void 0)
It's not as verbose as if (typeof foo !== 'undefined')

You can get an array all undefined with path using the following code.
function getAllUndefined(object) {
function convertPath(arr, key) {
var path = "";
for (var i = 1; i < arr.length; i++) {
path += arr[i] + "->";
}
path += key;
return path;
}
var stack = [];
var saveUndefined= [];
function getUndefiend(obj, key) {
var t = typeof obj;
switch (t) {
case "object":
if (t === null) {
return false;
}
break;
case "string":
case "number":
case "boolean":
case "null":
return false;
default:
return true;
}
stack.push(key);
for (k in obj) {
if (obj.hasOwnProperty(k)) {
v = getUndefiend(obj[k], k);
if (v) {
saveUndefined.push(convertPath(stack, k));
}
}
}
stack.pop();
}
getUndefiend({
"": object
}, "");
return saveUndefined;
}
jsFiddle link

There is a nice and elegant way to assign a defined property to a new variable if it is defined or assign a default value to it as a fallback if it’s undefined.
var a = obj.prop || defaultValue;
It’s suitable if you have a function, which receives an additional configuration property:
var yourFunction = function(config){
this.config = config || {};
this.yourConfigValue = config.yourConfigValue || 1;
console.log(this.yourConfigValue);
}
Now executing
yourFunction({yourConfigValue:2});
//=> 2
yourFunction();
//=> 1
yourFunction({otherProperty:5});
//=> 1

Here is my situation:
I am using the result of a REST call. The result should be parsed from JSON to a JavaScript object.
There is one error I need to defend. If the arguments to the REST call were incorrect as far as the user specifying the arguments wrong, the REST call comes back basically empty.
While using this post to help me defend against this, I tried this:
if( typeof restResult.data[0] === "undefined" ) { throw "Some error"; }
For my situation, if restResult.data[0] === "object", then I can safely start inspecting the rest of the members. If undefined then throw the error as above.
What I am saying is that for my situation, all the previous suggestions in this post did not work. I'm not saying I'm right and everyone is wrong. I am not a JavaScript master at all, but hopefully this will help someone.

All the answers are incomplete. This is the right way of knowing that there is a property 'defined as undefined':
var hasUndefinedProperty = function hasUndefinedProperty(obj, prop){
return ((prop in obj) && (typeof obj[prop] == 'undefined'));
};
Example:
var a = { b : 1, e : null };
a.c = a.d;
hasUndefinedProperty(a, 'b'); // false: b is defined as 1
hasUndefinedProperty(a, 'c'); // true: c is defined as undefined
hasUndefinedProperty(a, 'd'); // false: d is undefined
hasUndefinedProperty(a, 'e'); // false: e is defined as null
// And now...
delete a.c ;
hasUndefinedProperty(a, 'c'); // false: c is undefined
Too bad that this been the right answer and is buried in wrong answers >_<
So, for anyone who pass by, I will give you undefined's for free!!
var undefined ; undefined ; // undefined
({}).a ; // undefined
[].a ; // undefined
''.a ; // undefined
(function(){}()) ; // undefined
void(0) ; // undefined
eval() ; // undefined
1..a ; // undefined
/a/.a ; // undefined
(true).a ; // undefined

Going through the comments, for those who want to check both is it undefined or its value is null:
//Just in JavaScript
var s; // Undefined
if (typeof s == "undefined" || s === null){
alert('either it is undefined or value is null')
}
If you are using jQuery Library then jQuery.isEmptyObject() will suffice for both cases,
var s; // Undefined
jQuery.isEmptyObject(s); // Will return true;
s = null; // Defined as null
jQuery.isEmptyObject(s); // Will return true;
//Usage
if (jQuery.isEmptyObject(s)) {
alert('Either variable:s is undefined or its value is null');
} else {
alert('variable:s has value ' + s);
}
s = 'something'; // Defined with some value
jQuery.isEmptyObject(s); // Will return false;

If you are using Angular:
angular.isUndefined(obj)
angular.isUndefined(obj.prop)
Underscore.js:
_.isUndefined(obj)
_.isUndefined(obj.prop)

I provide three ways here for those who expect weird answers:
function isUndefined1(val) {
try {
val.a;
} catch (e) {
return /undefined/.test(e.message);
}
return false;
}
function isUndefined2(val) {
return !val && val+'' === 'undefined';
}
function isUndefined3(val) {
const defaultVal = {};
return ((input = defaultVal) => input === defaultVal)(val);
}
function test(func){
console.group(`test start :`+func.name);
console.log(func(undefined));
console.log(func(null));
console.log(func(1));
console.log(func("1"));
console.log(func(0));
console.log(func({}));
console.log(func(function () { }));
console.groupEnd();
}
test(isUndefined1);
test(isUndefined2);
test(isUndefined3);
isUndefined1:
Try to get a property of the input value, and check the error message if it exists. If the input value is undefined, the error message would be Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'b' of undefined.
isUndefined2:
Convert the input value to a string to compare with "undefined" and ensure it's a negative value.
isUndefined3:
In JavaScript, an optional parameter works when the input value is exactly undefined.

There is a very easy and simple way.
You can use optional chaining:
x = {prop:{name:"sajad"}}
console.log(x.prop?.name) // Output is: "sajad"
console.log(x.prop?.lastName) // Output is: undefined
or
if(x.prop?.lastName) // The result of this 'if' statement is false and is not throwing an error
You can use optional chaining even for functions or arrays.
As of mid-2020 this is not universally implemented. Check the documentation at https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Optional_chaining

I use if (this.variable) to test if it is defined. A simple if (variable), recommended in a previous answer, fails for me.
It turns out that it works only when a variable is a field of some object, obj.someField to check if it is defined in the dictionary. But we can use this or window as the dictionary object since any variable is a field in the current window, as I understand it. Therefore here is a test:
if (this.abc)
alert("defined");
else
alert("undefined");
abc = "abc";
if (this.abc)
alert("defined");
else
alert("undefined");
It first detects that variable abc is undefined and it is defined after initialization.

function isUnset(inp) {
return (typeof inp === 'undefined')
}
Returns false if variable is set, and true if is undefined.
Then use:
if (isUnset(var)) {
// initialize variable here
}

I would like to show you something I'm using in order to protect the undefined variable:
Object.defineProperty(window, 'undefined', {});
This forbids anyone to change the window.undefined value therefore destroying the code based on that variable. If using "use strict", anything trying to change its value will end in error, otherwise it would be silently ignored.