Difference between == and === in JavaScript

In JavaScript, == and === are both comparison operators used to compare values, but they behave differently:

1. == (Equality Operator):
   • The == operator checks for equality of values, but it performs type coercion if the values being compared are of different types.
   • If the values being compared are of different types, JavaScript tries to convert them to a common type before making the comparison.
   • For example, 5 == "5" will return true because JavaScript converts the string "5" to a number before comparing.
   • However, type coercion can sometimes lead to unexpected results and should be used with caution.
2. === (Strict Equality Operator):
   • The === operator, also known as the strict equality operator, checks for equality of values without performing type coercion.
   • It returns true only if the values being compared are of the same type and have the same value.
   • Unlike ==, === does not attempt to convert the values to a common type before comparison.
   • For example, 5 === "5" will return false because the values are of different types.

Key Differences:

• == performs type coercion, while === does not.
• === is more strict and requires both the value and the type to be the same for equality.
• === is generally considered safer and more predictable, as it avoids unexpected type conversions.

In summary, when comparing values in JavaScript, it’s generally safer to use === (strict equality) to ensure that both the value and the type are exactly the same. However, there may be cases where == (equality) is appropriate, especially when dealing with known types and situations where type coercion is desired.