Checking something isEmpty in Javascript?

Question

How can I check if a variable is empty in Javascript? Sorry for the stupid question, but I\'m a newbie in Javascript!

if(response.photo) is empty {
    do so         


        

Answer 1

This is a bigger question than you think. Variables can empty in a lot of ways. Kinda depends on what you need to know.

// quick and dirty will be true for '', null, undefined, 0, NaN and false.
if (!x) 

// test for null OR undefined
if (x == null)  

// test for undefined OR null 
if (x == undefined) 

// test for undefined
if (x === undefined) 
// or safer test for undefined since the variable undefined can be set causing tests against it to fail.
if (typeof x == 'undefined') 

// test for empty string
if (x === '') 

// if you know its an array
if (x.length == 0)  
// or
if (!x.length)

// BONUS test for empty object
var empty = true, fld;
for (fld in x) {
  empty = false;
  break;
}

Answer 2

const isEmpty = val => val == null || !(Object.keys(val) || val).length;

Answer 3

This should cover all cases:

function empty( val ) {

    // test results
    //---------------
    // []        true, empty array
    // {}        true, empty object
    // null      true
    // undefined true
    // ""        true, empty string
    // ''        true, empty string
    // 0         false, number
    // true      false, boolean
    // false     false, boolean
    // Date      false
    // function  false

        if (val === undefined)
        return true;

    if (typeof (val) == 'function' || typeof (val) == 'number' || typeof (val) == 'boolean' || Object.prototype.toString.call(val) === '[object Date]')
        return false;

    if (val == null || val.length === 0)        // null or 0 length array
        return true;

    if (typeof (val) == "object") {
        // empty object

        var r = true;

        for (var f in val)
            r = false;

        return r;
    }

    return false;
}

Answer 4

Combining answers from @inkednm into one function:

   function isEmpty(property) {
      return (property === null || property === "" || typeof property === "undefined");
   }

Answer 5

What about doing like this.

JSON.stringify({}) === "{}"

Answer 6

I see potential shortcomings in many solutions posted above, so I decided to compile my own.
Note: it uses Array.prototype.some, check your browser support.

Solution below considers variable empty if one of the following is true:

1. JS thinks that variable is equal to false, which already covers many things like 0, "", [], and even [""] and [0]
2. Value is null or it's type is 'undefined'
3. It is an empty Object

4. It is an Object/Array consisting only of values that are empty themselves (i.e. broken down to primitives each part of it equals false). Checks drill recursively into Object/Array structure. E.g.

   isEmpty({"": 0}) // true
   isEmpty({"": 1}) // false
   isEmpty([{}, {}])  // true
   isEmpty(["", 0, {0: false}]) //true
   

Function code:

/**
 * Checks if value is empty. Deep-checks arrays and objects
 * Note: isEmpty([]) == true, isEmpty({}) == true, isEmpty([{0:false},"",0]) == true, isEmpty({0:1}) == false
 * @param value
 * @returns {boolean}
 */
function isEmpty(value){
  var isEmptyObject = function(a) {
    if (typeof a.length === 'undefined') { // it's an Object, not an Array
      var hasNonempty = Object.keys(a).some(function nonEmpty(element){
        return !isEmpty(a[element]);
      });
      return hasNonempty ? false : isEmptyObject(Object.keys(a));
    }

    return !a.some(function nonEmpty(element) { // check if array is really not empty as JS thinks
      return !isEmpty(element); // at least one element should be non-empty
    });
  };
  return (
    value == false
    || typeof value === 'undefined'
    || value == null
    || (typeof value === 'object' && isEmptyObject(value))
  );
}