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

by adding parenthesis, we have made sure that javascript doesn't insert a semicolon before multiple statements written after return, for reference:- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Lexical_grammar#Automatic_semicolon_insertion

example:

return a + b;

is transformed to

return; a + b;

by ASI.

The console will warn "unreachable code after return statement". To avoid this problem (to prevent ASI), you could use parentheses:

return ( a + b );
code copied from:- https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/return