Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

JavaScript JavaScript and the DOM (Retiring) Responding to User Interaction Adding an Event Listener

Heather Gray
Heather Gray
6,225 Points

Is there a reason the instructors use += 1 instead of the increment operator (++) in loops?

Since I started with languages like C++ and Java, I use the ++ post increment operator by nature in all languages that allow it whenever I need to increment by 1 at a time. (I do the same with post-decrement -- where needed)

for(let i = 0; i < 10; i++)

I notice instructors using i += 1 instead. Is there any reason to avoid ++ and -- in JS?

3 Answers

Rich Donnellan
MOD
Rich Donnellan
Treehouse Moderator 27,671 Points

I can't say for certain why Guil Hernandez chose this particular syntax over the other. Obviously, both do the same, so it just may be a personal preference. Maybe he can elaborate.

Check out this SO thread for some possible reasons for this particular usage.

Heather Gray
Heather Gray
6,225 Points

Thanks Rich. I appreciate the SO thread

Heather Gray
Heather Gray
6,225 Points

Thanks for the answer. Do you mean +=1 runs more quickly than the increment operator ++? Because if you mean typing faster, I think it's faster to type i++ than i += 1! :)

Heather Gray
Heather Gray
6,225 Points

OK. So I think you are agreeing with me. i++ is better! :)