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JavaScript switch Statement

JavaScript Statements Reference Manual

Example

Display the name of the day of the week (Sunday=0, Monday=1, Tuesday=2, ...):

var day;
switch (new Date().getDay()) {
    case 0:
        day = "Sunday";
        break;
    case 1:
        day = "Monday";
        break;
    case 2:
        day = "Tuesday";
        break;
    case 3:
        day = "Wednesday";
        break;
    case 4:
        day = "Thursday";
        break;
    case 5:
        day = "Friday";
        break;
    case 6:
        day = "Saturday";
        break;
}

day output result is:

var d = new Date().getDay();
switch (d) {
    case 0:
        x = "Sunday";
        break;
    case 1:
        x = "Monday";
        break;
    case 2:
        x = "Tuesday";
        break;
    case 3:
        x = "Wednesday";
        break;
    case 4:
        x = "Thursday";
        break;
    case 5:
        x = "Friday";
        break;
    case 6:
        x = "Saturday";
        break;
}
document.write(x);

More examples are included at the bottom of this article.


Definition and Usage

The switch statement is used to perform different actions based on different conditions.

The switch statement is part of JavaScript conditional statements, used to execute different actions based on different conditions. It selects one block of code to be executed from multiple blocks.

The switch statement evaluates each expression. The value of the expression is then compared with the values of each case in the structure. If a match is found, the associated block of code is executed.

The switch statement is often used with the break or default keywords, both of which are optional:

break keyword is used to break out of the switch block. It terminates the execution of the switch block. If this keyword is omitted, the next block of code in the switch statement is executed.

default keyword specifies what to do when no match is found.

The default keyword can only appear once in a switch statement. Although it is optional, it is recommended to use it to output information when the result is not as expected.


Browser Support

Statement Chrome Edge Firefox Safari Opera
switch Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Syntax

Parameter Values

Parameter Description
expression Required. Specifies the expression to be evaluated. The expression is evaluated only once. The value of the expression is compared with the values of each case. If a match is found, the associated block of code is executed.

Technical Details

| JavaScript Version: | 1.2 |


More Examples

Example

If today is neither Saturday nor Sunday, output a default message:

var text;
switch (new Date().getDay()) {
    case 6:
        text = "Today is Saturday";
        break;
    case 0:
        text = "Today is Sunday";
        break;
    default:
        text = "Looking forward to the Weekend";
}

text output result is:

switch (new Date().getDay()) {
    case 6:
        x = "Today is Saturday";
        break;
    case 0:
        x = "Today is Sunday";
        break;
    default:
        x = "Looking forward to the Weekend";
}
document.write(x);

Example

Sometimes you may want to use the same code for multiple cases or set a common default value.

Note that in this example, cases share common code, and the default statement is not at the end of the switch statement:

var text;
switch (new Date().getDay()) {
    case 1:
    case 2:
    case 3:
    default:
        text = "Looking forward to the Weekend";
        break;
    case 4:
    case 5:
        text = "Soon it is Weekend";
        break;
    case 0:
    case 6:
        text = "It is Weekend";
}

Example

Using the switch statement to evaluate user input:

var text;
var favDrink = prompt("What's your favorite cocktail drink?");
switch (favDrink) {
    case "Martini":
        text = "Great choice! Martini is good for your soul.";
        break;
    case "Daiquiri":
        text = "Daiquiri is also my favorite!";
        break;
    case "Cosmopolitan":
        text = "Really? Are you sure Cosmopolitan is your favorite?";
        break;
    default:
        text = "I don't have a favorite...";
        break;
}

Related Pages

JavaScript Tutorial: JavaScript If...Else Statement

JavaScript Tutorial: JavaScript Switch Statement

JavaScript Reference Manual: JavaScript if/else Statement

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