JavaScript date.@@toPrimitive() Function

Last Updated : 23 Dec, 2022

The Javascript date.@@toPrimitive() function is an inbuilt function in JavaScript that is used to convert the date object into a primitive value. A number or string is known as a primitive value.

Syntax:

Dateobj[Symbol.toPrimitive](hint);

Parameter: This function accepts a single parameter. Depending on the argument, the method can return either a string or a number.

Return Values: It returns the primitive value of the given date object.

The below examples illustrate the @@toPrimitive() function in JavaScript.

Example 1: When a hint is the default, [@@toPrimitive]() tries to call the toString method, and if the toString method does not exist it tries to call the valueOf method.

javascript

<script> 
    // Here a date has been assigned 
    // while creating Date object 
    var dateobj = new Date(); 
      
    // converting the date object to a primitive value 
    var result = dateobj[Symbol.toPrimitive]("default") 
      
    // Printing year 
    console.log(result); 
</script>

Output:

Thu Sep 27 2018 12:49:02 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)

Example 2: When a hint is a number, [@@toPrimitive]() tries to call the valueOf method and if the valueOf method does not exist, it calls the toString method.

javascript

<script> 
    // Here a date has been assigned 
    // while creating Date object 
    var dateobj = new Date(); 
      
    // converting the date object to a primitive value 
    var result = dateobj[Symbol.toPrimitive]("number") 
      
    // Printing year 
    console.log(result); 
</script>

Output:

1538032776898

Example 3: When a hint is a string, [@@toPrimitive]() tries to call the toString method, and if the toString method does not exist it tries to call the valueOf method.

javascript

<script> 
    // Here a date has been assigned 
    // while creating Date object 
    var dateobj = new Date(); 
      
    // converting the date object to a primitive value 
    var result = dateobj[Symbol.toPrimitive]("string") 
      
    // Printing year 
    console.log(result); 
</script>

Output:

Thu Sep 27 2018 12:50:04 GMT+0530 (India Standard Time)

Note: Output may vary as per the current date and time.

Errors and Exceptions: When a hint is anything other than “string”, “default” or”number”, [@@toPrimitive]() tries to call the toString method and if the toString method does not exist it tries to call the valueOf method, and if valueOf method is also not applicable then [@@toPrimitive]() throws a TypeError.

Example:

javascript

<script> 
    // Here a date has been assigned 
    // while creating Date object 
    var dateobj = new Date(); 
      
    // converting the date object to a primitive value 
    var result = dateobj[Symbol.toPrimitive](90) 
      
    // Printing year 
    console.log(result); 
</script>

Output:

TypeError: Symbol.toPrimitive: expected "string", "number", or "default", got number

JavaScript Date toTimeString() Method

ishaniaggarwal

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