How to terminate the script in JavaScript?

"exit" functions usually quit the program or script along with an error message as paramete. For example die(...) in php

die("sorry my fault, didn't mean to but now I am in byte nirvana")

The equivalent in JS is to signal an error with the throw keyword like this:

throw new Error();

You can easily test this:

var m = 100;
throw '';
var x = 100;

x
>>>undefined
m
>>>100

Even in simple programs without handles, events and such, it is best to put code in a main function, even when it is the only procedure :

<script> 
function main()
{
//code

}
main();
</script>

This way, when you want to stop the program you can use return.


JavaScript equivalent for PHP's die. BTW it just calls exit() (thanks splattne):

function exit( status ) {
    // http://kevin.vanzonneveld.net
    // +   original by: Brett Zamir (http://brettz9.blogspot.com)
    // +      input by: Paul
    // +   bugfixed by: Hyam Singer (http://www.impact-computing.com/)
    // +   improved by: Philip Peterson
    // +   bugfixed by: Brett Zamir (http://brettz9.blogspot.com)
    // %        note 1: Should be considered expirimental. Please comment on this function.
    // *     example 1: exit();
    // *     returns 1: null

    var i;

    if (typeof status === 'string') {
        alert(status);
    }

    window.addEventListener('error', function (e) {e.preventDefault();e.stopPropagation();}, false);

    var handlers = [
        'copy', 'cut', 'paste',
        'beforeunload', 'blur', 'change', 'click', 'contextmenu', 'dblclick', 'focus', 'keydown', 'keypress', 'keyup', 'mousedown', 'mousemove', 'mouseout', 'mouseover', 'mouseup', 'resize', 'scroll',
        'DOMNodeInserted', 'DOMNodeRemoved', 'DOMNodeRemovedFromDocument', 'DOMNodeInsertedIntoDocument', 'DOMAttrModified', 'DOMCharacterDataModified', 'DOMElementNameChanged', 'DOMAttributeNameChanged', 'DOMActivate', 'DOMFocusIn', 'DOMFocusOut', 'online', 'offline', 'textInput',
        'abort', 'close', 'dragdrop', 'load', 'paint', 'reset', 'select', 'submit', 'unload'
    ];

    function stopPropagation (e) {
        e.stopPropagation();
        // e.preventDefault(); // Stop for the form controls, etc., too?
    }
    for (i=0; i < handlers.length; i++) {
        window.addEventListener(handlers[i], function (e) {stopPropagation(e);}, true);
    }

    if (window.stop) {
        window.stop();
    }

    throw '';
}