JavaScript if-else Ternary Operator

The JavaScript conditional ternary operator is considered as shorthand for if-else statement that is frequently used to return the result in single code statement. It takes three operands to return a result, starting from a condition followed by a question mark ? then an expression if condition is true followed by a colon : and then an expression if the condition is false.

Syntax

condition ? (expression-if-true) : (expression-if-false)

condition: any expressions that could considered as true or false.

expression-if-true: an expression that is to be evaluated if condition is true.

expression-if-false: an expression that is to be evaluated if condition is false.

Example

var x = 10;

var y = 20;

var z = x > y ? x : y;

Ternary Operator Chaining

The ternary operator can also be used to perform if...else-if...else chaining also.

Example

var x=10;

var y=20;

var z = x + y > 20 ? y : y - x < 20 ? x : y/x > 5 ? y : x;

It’s equivalent to

if(x + y > 20) { return y; }

else if(y - x < 20) { return x; }

else if(y/x > 5) { return y; }

else { return x; }