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jason chan
31,009 PointsWhat's the difference between ++ vs += 1 for javascript counter?
What's the difference between ++ vs +=1 for javascript?
Why didn't he teach ++ seems like easier notation and you don't have to type three characters?
2 Answers
rigoberto contreras
9,035 Points++ increases the integer by one and += increases the integer by the number of your choice.
Marcus Parsons
15,719 PointsYou should avoid using ++ (and --). Not only does += (or -=, *=, etc) give you more power over your interval, it will also eliminate confusing errors that may come up down the road from using a ++/-- operator, especially since you can put var++ or ++var and in some cases they will work the same and in others, they won't.
For example:
var counter = 0;
var myArray = [];
//You would think that this would increase the counter variable and then
//assign the value "foo" to that index
//But instead it uses the present value of counter as the index and then increases counter
myArray[counter++] = "foo";
console.log(myArray[0]); //Returns foo at index 0
console.log(counter); //Returns 1
And then this case:
var counter = 0;
var myArray = [];
//Using ++counter will instead increase counter first and then
//use the value it just got as the index
//in this case 1
myArray[++counter] = "foo";
console.log(myArray[1]); //Returns foo at index 1, 0 is undefined
console.log(counter); //Returns 1
M Baker
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 5,983 PointsMarcus: I would argue that it is doing exactly what it's supposed to do in your examples and your examples are highlighting why we do need to have / use the increment operator (++) in our code, when we need it and when we understand it. I use it all the time.
jason chan
31,009 Pointsjason chan
31,009 Pointsthanks rigoberto you rock! yeah kind of figured that out.
++ is only for increase by number and += anything.