Double quotes vs single quotes in JavaScript

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When to Use Double or Single Quotes in JavaScript
Are there differences between ' and "

I am wondering if there is a difference between using single quotes vs double quotes in JavaScript (JQuery selectors etc.).

Both seem to work just fine, so is there a difference?

score 67 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:42

67

The difference is that you don't need to escape single quotes in double quotes, or double quotes in single quotes. That is the only difference, if you do not count the fact that you must hold the Shift key to type ".

answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:42

CR Drost

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On German keyboards, you have to use the Shift key for both. – Gumbo Mar 31 '12 at 21:44
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Gumbo This is also true for a french keyboard configuration. – Samuel Mar 20 '13 at 12:49
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On French keyboards, you have to use the Shift key for none :) – sp00m Apr 04 '16 at 10:14
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I wish SO had the option to favorite answers in addition to questions... – rolling_codes Jun 21 '17 at 15:39

score 24 · Answer 2 · edited May 01 '17 at 16:00

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It doesn't matter unless you're trying to write JSON, in which case you must use double quotes for object literals.

edited May 01 '17 at 16:00

Jeff Axelrod

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answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:43

BluesRockAddict

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Could you please elaborate? Maybe with some examples? – Jeff Axelrod May 01 '17 at 16:01
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@JeffAxelrod: the text `{'abc': 123}` is an example of invalid JSON. JSON refuses to delimit text like that with single quotes. (It is technically not valid JavaScript by itself, you would have to write `const x = {'abc': 123}` to make it valid JS. If you don't do that the leading `{` is parsed as a beginning of a code block.) the text `{"abc": 123}` is a valid JSON string. – CR Drost Mar 25 '19 at 19:22

score 12 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:43

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There is no special difference between single and double quotes (like it is in PHP).

The only actual difference is that you can write a double quote " in a single-quoted string without escaping it, and vice versa.

So, if you are going to output some HTML in your JavaScript, like this:

<div id = "my_div"></div>

single quotes are more useful :-)

answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:43

Imp

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And if you have an HTML output like `
`, double quotes are more useful. – Gumbo Mar 31 '12 at 21:46
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Sure :-) I used the example because double quotes are more common. But yes, the point is - use whatever quotes are not present in the string. – Imp Mar 31 '12 at 21:49
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I agree with Imp but whatever quote style you use, the golden rule is to be consistent. – Dmitry Pashkevich Mar 31 '12 at 21:57
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In php, variables within double quoted literals are evaluated. They aren't within single quotes. – murraybiscuit Jan 26 '17 at 16:53

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:43

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They work the same, but they must match. You cannot start a string with a single and end with a double, or the opposite. Other than that, they are interchangeable.

answered Mar 31 '12 at 21:43

James Montagne

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Double quotes vs single quotes in JavaScript

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