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in

The in returns true if the specified property is in the specified object or its prototype chain.

Syntax

prop in object

Parameters

prop
A string or symbol representing a property name or array index (non-symbols will be coerced to strings).
object
Object to check if it (or its prototype chain) contains the property with specified name.

Description

The following examples show some uses of the in operator.

// Arrays
var trees = ['redwood', 'bay', 'cedar', 'oak', 'maple'];
0 in trees        // returns true
3 in trees        // returns true
6 in trees        // returns false
'bay' in trees    // returns false (you must specify the index number, not the value at that index)
'length' in trees // returns true (length is an Array property)
Symbol.iterator in trees // returns true (arrays are iterable, works only in ES2015+)

// Predefined objects
'PI' in Math          // returns true

// Custom objects
var mycar = {make: 'Honda', model: 'Accord', year: 1998};
'make' in mycar  // returns true
'model' in mycar // returns true

You must specify an object on the right side of the in operator. For example, you can specify a string created with the String constructor, but you cannot specify a string literal.

var color1 = new String('green');
'length' in color1 // returns true

var color2 = 'coral';
// generates an error (color2 is not a String object)
'length' in color2

Using in with deleted or undefined properties

If you delete a property with the delete operator, the in operator returns false for that property.

var mycar = {make: 'Honda', model: 'Accord', year: 1998};
delete mycar.make;
'make' in mycar;  // returns false

var trees = new Array('redwood', 'bay', 'cedar', 'oak', 'maple');
delete trees[3];
3 in trees; // returns false

If you set a property to undefined but do not delete it, the in operator returns true for that property.

var mycar = {make: 'Honda', model: 'Accord', year: 1998};
mycar.make = undefined;
'make' in mycar;  // returns true
var trees = new Array('redwood', 'bay', 'cedar', 'oak', 'maple');
trees[3] = undefined;
3 in trees; // returns true

Inherited properties

The in operator returns true for properties in the prototype chain.

'toString' in {}; // returns true

Specifications

Browser compatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

Desktop
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support Yes Yes 1 Yes Yes Yes
Mobile
Android webview Chrome for Android Edge Mobile Firefox for Android Opera for Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support Yes Yes Yes 4 Yes Yes Yes
Server
Node.js
Basic support Yes

See also

© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/in