initLogs 2: Three uses of if statement in JavaScript
Tags: javascript, codenewbie, beginners
Published: 2020-05-29 16:26:08

---
series: [initLogs]
---

`If` statement is one of the conditional statements in JavaScript. But `if` is not the most commonly used conditional statement, at least not when you are new to JavaScript. That would be the `if-else` or `nested if else` statement. As a person who is new to JS, the learning materials or the execrises never teach you the real world use cases of an `if` statement. It is always a basic explanation with a basic example after which the materials often move to `if-else`.

This has bothered me because I always wonder about the use of an `if` statement is in JavaScript. I mean, we always need a `else` part while writing the `if` statements right?


So, what are the usecases for an `if` statement?
Here are some.

###  1. As a minimal version of if-else


```js

function biggest (a, b) {
	
	if (a > b) {
	console.log("A is greater");
	}
	console.log( "B is greater");
}

biggest (5, 6);

// -> B is greater.

```

The above example is for checking `if a > b` or not. Here, you don't need to add an `else` part to check `if a < b`. It is known that if `a > b` is true what to execute and if it is false, what to execute. This is one way to use `if` statements. But this technically has an `else` part to execute when the initial condition is not satisfied. So where else can we use `if` statements?

### 2. To replace switch statements

You can essentially write `if` statements instead of writing `switch` statements. `if` statements are easier to write and easier to understand compared to `switch` statements. 

Here is a `switch` statement:

```js

  function howMuchFor(expr) {
    switch (expr) {
      case 'Oranges':
        console.log('Oranges are $0.59 a pound.');
        break;
      case 'Apples':
        console.log('Apples are $0.32 a pound.');
        break;
      case 'Bananas':
        console.log('Bananas are $0.48 a pound.');
        break;
      case 'Cherries':
        console.log('Cherries are $3.00 a pound.');
        break;
      
      case 'Mangoes':
      case 'Papayas':
        console.log('Mangoes and papayas are $2.79 a pound.');
        break;
      
        default:
        console.log('Sorry, we are out of ' + expr + '.');
    
    }
    
    console.log("Is there anything else you'd like?");
  }


howMuchFor('Cherries');

// -> Cherries are $3.00 a pound.
// Is there anything else you'd like?


```

This can be replaced with `if` statements like...

```js

function howMuchFor (expr) {
	if (expr === 'Oranges') { console.log( expr + ' are $0.59 a pound.'); }
	if (expr === 'Apples') { console.log( expr + ' are $0.32 a pound.'); }
	if (expr === 'Bananas') { console.log( expr + ' are $0.48 a pound.');}
	if (expr === 'Cherries') { console.log( expr + ' are $3.00 a pound.'); }
	if (expr === 'Mangoes' || 'Papayas') { console.log( expr + ' are $2.79 a pound'); }
}

howMuchFor('Mangoes');

// -> Mangoes are $2.79 a pound.

```
Which do you think is easier to write and easier to understand? The one with `switch` or the one with `if`?

### 3. Then there is another usecase... validating!

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/ovm8kcuyj6881aexwqp9.gif)

This is something I learnt while doing a side project (R.I.P) and thought was really interesting. This is the reason I wrote this blog post, because I was not sure if all the people who have just started to learn JavaScript knows about this.


The function I wrote in the project was essentially doing some CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations. My friend told me to use `if` statements to validate the user inputs and I was like wow, *this is a great usecase for an `if` statement!*

So, let's see how to validate using `if` statement...

```js

let infoDB = {
	firstName: 'Bob',
	lastName: '',
	age: 37
}

if(!infoDB.firstName) {console.log( "Please provide a first name to add your complete information.");} 
if(!infoDB.lastName) {console.log("Please provide a last name to add your complete information.");}
if(!infoDB.age) {console.log( "Please provide a first name to add your complete information.");}

console.log(infoDB);

// -> Please provide a last name to add your complete information.
// Final infoDB object -> { firstName: 'Bob', lastName: '', age: 37 }

```

The way to read the above statement is `if NO (for !) first name in myCompleteInfoDB`, do something. Or `if NO last name in myCompleteInfoDV`, do something and `if NO age in myCompleteInfoDB`, do something. Although this is very simple and somewhat not a very useful program, this shows how you can validate things using an `if` statement.

That is it! These are some use cases for using `if` statements in JavaScript. I know this is just a very basic thing for most of the people. But since it was not covered in the learning resources I used, it really was fascinating to me to know that we can use an `if` statement in all these ways!

* * *

Found this article interesting or found a mistake/room for improvement? Please DM/Tweet me [@unsungNovelty](https://twitter.com/unsungNovelty). This is a part of a series of blogs called `#initlogs` which shares some interesting things I found while learning to code.


_This post was first published under the title ["Secret life of ifs"](https://www.unsungnovelty.org/posts/05/2020/initlogs-2-sercret-life-of-ifs/) in https://www.unsungnovelty.org_