Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
In JavaScript, truthy values are the values that are evaluated to be true when used in a Boolean context, such as in conditional statements or logical operations.
If you’ve ever wondered what JavaScript considers “true,” here’s the simple answer: any value that is not explicitly falsy (like false, 0, null, undefined, NaN, or an empty string "") is considered truthy. This means numbers (except 0), non-empty strings, objects, arrays, functions, and even some quirky values like "0" are all truthy.
List of Truthy Values in JavaScriptHere’s a detailed look at the most common truthy values in JavaScript:
Non-zero NumbersAny number, whether positive or negative, is truthy.
JavaScript
if (42) console.log("This is truthy!");
if (-3.14) console.log("This is also truthy!");
This is truthy! This is also truthy!Non-Empty Strings
Any string with at least one character is truthy, including strings containing whitespace.
JavaScript
if ("hello") console.log("Non-empty strings are truthy!");
if (" ") console.log("Even whitespace is truthy!");
Non-empty strings are truthy! Even whitespace is truthy!Objects
All objects (including empty objects {}) are truthy.
JavaScript
if ({}) console.log("An empty object is truthy!");
if ({ key: "value" }) console.log("Objects with properties are truthy!");
An empty object is truthy! Objects with properties are truthy!Arrays
Similarly, all arrays (including empty arrays []) are truthy.
JavaScript
if ([]) console.log("An empty array is truthy!");
if ([1, 2, 3]) console.log("Non-empty arrays are truthy!");
An empty array is truthy! Non-empty arrays are truthy!Functions
Functions are always truthy, even if they do nothing.
JavaScript
if (function() {}) console.log("Functions are truthy!");
Functions are truthy!Dates
All JavaScript Date objects are truthy, regardless of their validity.
JavaScript
if (new Date()) console.log("Dates are truthy!");
Non-Zero BigInt Values
All BigInt values, except 0n, are truthy.
JavaScript
if (1n) console.log("BigInt is truthy!");
Symbols
All Symbol values are truthy.
JavaScript
if (Symbol("id")) console.log("Symbols are truthy!");
Symbols are truthy!
To better understand how truthy values work in JavaScript, Let's see an example
JavaScript
const a = [
1, // Truthy (non-zero number)
-1, // Truthy (negative number)
"hello", // Truthy (non-empty string)
" ", // Truthy (whitespace string)
{}, // Truthy (empty object)
[], // Truthy (empty array)
function () { }, // Truthy (function)
new Date(), // Truthy (date object)
Symbol(), // Truthy (symbol)
10n // Truthy (BigInt)
];
a.forEach(value => {
if (value) {
// Handle Symbol conversion separately
const displayValue = typeof value === "symbol" ? value.toString() : value;
console.log(`${displayValue} is truthy.`);
}
});
1 is truthy.
-1 is truthy.
hello is truthy.
is truthy.
[object Object] is truthy.
is truthy.
function () { } is truthy.
Mon Dec 09 2024 08:00:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) is truthy.
Sym...Why Truthy Values Matter?
Understanding truthy values helps you write concise and readable code. For example:
Providing default values
JavaScript
let username
const user = username || "Guest";
console.log(user); // If username is falsy, prints "Guest"
Checking for existence
JavaScript
if (config && config.apiKey) {
console.log("API Key exists!");
}
Truthy values in JavaScript include any value that isn’t explicitly falsy. This simple rule makes JavaScript flexible but also requires attention to detail to avoid unexpected behavior. Remember, non-zero numbers, non-empty strings, objects, arrays, functions, symbols, and dates are all truthy—making JavaScript both powerful and occasionally quirky.
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