What is the difference between return and return()?

Question

function a() { return 1; }
function b() { return(1); }

I tested the above code in Chrome\'s console, and both returned 1.

Answer 1

return is a statement a keyword that starts the return statement, not a function.

As has been mentioned, the extra parentheses affect evaluation order, but are not used to "execute" the function named return. That is why these lines work without any problems:

return (1);
var a = (1);

They are, in effect, identical to these lines:

return 1;
var a = 1;

The reason return() throws a syntax error is for the exact reason the following line throws an error (return statement included for comparison):

return();    // SyntaxError: syntax error
var a = ();  // SyntaxError: syntax error