The expression [] == []
has an equivalent notation of:
new Array() == new Array()
And knowing that Array
is also an Object
, the behaviour of the comparison is unambiguously explained in The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm section of the ECMAScript Language Specification:
The comparison x == y, where x and y are values, produces true or false. Such a comparison is performed as follows:
- If Type(x) is the same as Type(y), then
- If Type(x) is Undefined, return true.
- If Type(x) is Null, return true.
- If Type(x) is Number, then
- If x is NaN, return false.
- If y is NaN, return false.
- If x is the same Number value as y, return true.
- If x is +0 and y is −0, return true.
- If x is −0 and y is +0, return true.
- Return false.
- If Type(x) is String, then return true if x and y are exactly the same sequence of characters (same length and same characters in corresponding positions). Otherwise, return false.
- If Type(x) is Boolean, return true if x and y are both true or both false. Otherwise, return false.
- Return true if x and y refer to the same object. Otherwise, return false.
- If x is null and y is undefined, return true.
- If x is undefined and y is null, return true.
- If Type(x) is Number and Type(y) is String,
return the result of the comparison x == ToNumber(y).
- If Type(x) is String and Type(y) is Number,
return the result of the comparison ToNumber(x) == y.
- If Type(x) is Boolean, return the result of the comparison ToNumber(x) == y.
- If Type(y) is Boolean, return the result of the comparison x == ToNumber(y).
- If Type(x) is either String or Number and Type(y) is Object,
return the result of the comparison x == ToPrimitive(y).
- If Type(x) is Object and Type(y) is either String or Number,
return the result of the comparison ToPrimitive(x) == y.
- Return false.
Your comparison result is explained by 1.6
, highlighted above.
Alternative expression
In your case I would suggest to simply use this condition instead:
if (a[0].length == 0) {
console.log('no data');
}