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How to use the ternary operator in JavaScript

Blog post from LogRocket

Post Details
Company
Date Published
Author
Chizaram Ken
Word Count
2,230
Language
-
Hacker News Points
-
Summary

Programming often involves making decisions using if...else statements, which can be streamlined in JavaScript using the ternary operator—a concise shorthand for these conditional statements. The ternary operator, expressed as `condition ? doThisIfTrue : doThisIfFalse`, allows developers to write cleaner, one-line conditional statements. This article explores the syntax and practical applications of the ternary operator, demonstrating its use in simplifying code while maintaining readability. Although it excels in scenarios with straightforward conditions, the ternary operator can become unwieldy when handling complex, nested logic, where traditional if...else statements may be more appropriate. It is especially popular in JavaScript frameworks like React for conditional rendering and toggling styles. The article underscores the importance of using the ternary operator judiciously, suggesting that if its readability is ever in question, reverting to if...else statements might be the best approach.