What does = +_ mean in JavaScript

Question

I was wondering what the = +_ operator means in JavaScript. It looks like it does assignments.

Example:

hexbin.radius = function(_)         


        

Answer 1

It Will assign new value to left side variable a number.

var a=10;
var b="asg";
var c=+a;//return 10
var d=-a;//return -10
var f="10";

var e=+b;
var g=-f;

console.log(e);//NAN
console.log(g);//-10

Answer 2

+_ is almost equivalent of parseFloat(_) . Observe that parseInt will stop at non numeric character such as dot, whereas parshFloat will not.

EXP:

    parseFloat(2.4) = 2.4 
vs 
    parseInt(2.4) = 2 
vs 
    +"2.4" = 2.4

Exp:

var _ = "3";
    _ = +_;

console.log(_); // will show an integer 3

Very few differences:

• Empty string "" evaluates to a 0, while parseInt() evaluates to NaN
• For more info look here: parseInt vs unary plus - when to use which

Answer 3

r = +_;

• + tries to cast whatever _ is to a number.
• _ is only a variable name (not an operator), it could be a, foo etc.

Example:

+"1"

cast "1" to pure number 1.

var _ = "1";
var r = +_;

r is now 1, not "1".

Moreover, according to the MDN page on Arithmetic Operators:

The unary plus operator precedes its operand and evaluates to its operand but attempts to converts it into a number, if it isn't already. [...] It can convert string representations of integers and floats, as well as the non-string values true, false, and null. Integers in both decimal and hexadecimal ("0x"-prefixed) formats are supported. Negative numbers are supported (though not for hex). If it cannot parse a particular value, it will evaluate to NaN.

It is also noted that

unary plus is the fastest and preferred way of converting something into a number

Answer 4

_ is just a a variable name, passed as a parameter of function hexbin.radius , and + cast it into number

Let me make a exmple same like your function .

var hexbin = {},r  ;

hexbin.radius = function(_) {
   if (!arguments.length)
      return r;
   console.log( _ , typeof _ )    
   r = +_;
   console.log( r , typeof r , isNaN(r) );   
}

and run this example function .. which outputs

hexbin.radius( "1");

1 string
1 number false 

hexbin.radius( 1 );

1 number
1 number false

hexbin.radius( [] );

[] object
0 number false

hexbin.radius( 'a' );

a string
NaN number true

hexbin.radius( {} );

Object {} object
NaN number true

hexbin.radius( true );

true boolean
1 number false

Answer 5

Simply put, +_ is equivalent to using the Number() constructor.

In fact, it even works on dates:

var d = new Date('03/27/2014');
console.log(Number(d)) // returns 1395903600000
console.log(+d) // returns 1395903600000

DEMO: http://jsfiddle.net/dirtyd77/GCLjd/

---

More information can also be found on MDN - Unary plus (+) section:

The unary plus operator precedes its operand and evaluates to its operand but attempts to converts it into a number, if it isn't already. Although unary negation (-) also can convert non-numbers, unary plus is the fastest and preferred way of converting something into a number, because it does not perform any other operations on the number. It can convert string representations of integers and floats, as well as the non-string values true, false, and null. Integers in both decimal and hexadecimal ("0x"-prefixed) formats are supported. Negative numbers are supported (though not for hex). If it cannot parse a particular value, it will evaluate to NaN.

Answer 6

I suppose you mean r = +_;? In that case, it's conversion of the parameter to a Number. Say _ is '12.3', then +'12.3' returns 12.3. So in the quoted statement +_ is assigned to r.