How does string equality work in JavaScript?

Question

There are plenty of tutorials for == and === so please don\'t guide me to a basic tutorial, my question is a bit more specific:

For example

Answer 1

You are correct that in your example case you are comparing 2 different object references. Within the language specification you'll find this algorithm. The portion you are looking for is section 1 f.

11.9.3 The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm

11.9.3  The Abstract Equality Comparison Algorithm

The comparison x == y, where x and y are values, produces true or false. Such a comparison is performed as 
follows:

1.  If Type(x) is the same as Type(y), then 
    a.    If Type(x) is Undefined, return true. 
    b.  If Type(x) is Null, return true. 
    c.    If Type(x) is Number, then 
        i.  If x is NaN, return false. 
        ii.  If y is NaN, return false.
        iii.  If x is the same Number value as y, return true. 
        iv.  If x is +0 and y is -0, return true. 
        v.  If x is -0 and y is +0, return true. 
        vi.  Return false.
    d.  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. 
    e.  If Type(x) is Boolean, return true if x and y are both true or both false. Otherwise, return false. 
    f.  Return true if x and y refer to the same object. Otherwise, return  false. 
2.  If x is null and y is undefined, return true. 
3.  If x is undefined and y is null, return true. 
4.  If Type(x) is Number and Type(y) is String, 
return the result of the comparison x == ToNumber(y). 
5.  If Type(x) is String and Type(y) is Number, 
return the result of the comparison ToNumber(x) == y. 
6.  If Type(x) is Boolean, return the result of the comparison ToNumber(x) == y. 
7.  If Type(y) is Boolean, return the result of the comparison x == ToNumber(y). 
8.  If Type(x) is either String or Number and Type(y) is Object, 
return the result of the comparison x == ToPrimitive(y). 
9.  If Type(x) is Object and Type(y) is either String or Number, 
return the result of the comparison ToPrimitive(x) == y.
10.  Return false. 

Also take notice that steps 8 and 9 which makes dealing with String objects a bit cleaner.

alert(new String("a") == "a"); // true
alert("a" == new String("a")); // true