Sometimes we want to convert a number to a string; in my latest code piece, there was a limit set on a data attribute. This comes true as a string, so how do we convert this to a number in JavaScript?
In this case, there is not one but three valid and supported methods of converting our string to a number.
- Number
- parseInt
- parseFloat
JavaScript Number Method
Number is a generic way of converting. It's actually the more stricter check here are some examples with outputs:
<!-- Number -->
console.log(Number(`1337`)); // 1337
console.log(Number(`13.37`)); // 13.37
console.log(Number(`13leet37`)); // NaN
console.log(Number(`13,37`)); // NaN
As you can see it works on actual numbers, but as soon as we use other characters or a comma it won't work.
JavaScript ParseInt Method
ParseInt converts our string into an integer non rounded.
It has two arguments, the input and the radix which is the base number. For us the default is 10
<!-- ParseInt -->
var text1 = '1337';
var text2 = '13.37';
var text3 = '13leet37';
var text4 = '13,37';
console.log(parseInt(text1, 10)); // 1337
console.log(parseInt(text2, 10)); // 13
console.log(parseInt(text3, 10)); // 13
console.log(parseInt(text4, 10)); // 13
The downside can be it's rounding everything, so let's look at ParseFloat.
JavaScript ParseFloat Method
As mentioned the parseFloat is used to return stuff with decimals.
<!-- ParseFloat -->
var text1 = '1337';
var text2 = '13.37';
var text3 = '13.3leet37';
var text4 = '13,37';
console.log(parseFloat(text1, 10)); // 13.37
console.log(parseFloat(text2, 10)); // 13
console.log(parseFloat(text3, 10)); // 13.3
console.log(parseFloat(text4, 10)); // 13
Very cool method!
See all these in action on Codepen.
See the Pen Vanilla JavaScript String to Number by Chris Bongers (@rebelchris) on CodePen.
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Top comments (13)
+'1'
Keep in mind that this also works for hexadecimal.
And so does
~~I Actually didn't know about the ~~ What is it called?
it's the NOT bitwise operator. It changes the 1 by 0 and 0 by 1. In that example, he is doing it twice.
~ 5 => ~0101 => 1010
~~5 => ~(~0101) => ~(1010) => 0101 => 5
w3schools.com/js/js_operators.asp
😂👏
I do realize all methods, but never notice that
parseFloattrims, butNumberreturnNaN.Yes, Number is very strict the string can only contain actual numbers!
Worth knowing that this depends on the user's browser locale. 13,37 is a valid number in French and German, whereas 13.37 is not.
You are right, there is the option to use locales on strings and numbers before. but your right good to keep this in mind!
Keep posting daily tips, i love to read and learning it
I use parsefloat to parsing bitcoin balance from rpc in my current project
Awesome, thanks man! Glad people find them amazing 🤟
~~’1’
I just saw above, actually didn't know that option 🤯