Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global objects/ReferenceError

The ReferenceError object represents an error when a non-existent variable is referenced.

Constructor

ReferenceError()

Creates a new ReferenceError object.

Instance properties

ReferenceError.prototype.message

Error message. Although ECMA-262 specifies that ReferenceError should provide its own message property, in SpiderMonkey, it inherits Error.prototype.message.

ReferenceError.prototype.name

Error name. Inherited from Error.

ReferenceError.prototype.fileName

Path to file that raised this error. Inherited from Error.

ReferenceError.prototype.lineNumber

Line number in file that raised this error. Inherited from Error.

ReferenceError.prototype.columnNumber

Column number in line that raised this error. Inherited from Error.

ReferenceError.prototype.stack

Stack trace. Inherited from Error.

Examples

Catching a ReferenceError

try {
  let a = undefinedVariable
} catch (e) {
  console.log(e instanceof ReferenceError)  // true
  console.log(e.message)                    // "undefinedVariable is not defined"
  console.log(e.name)                       // "ReferenceError"
  console.log(e.fileName)                   // "Scratchpad/1"
  console.log(e.lineNumber)                 // 2
  console.log(e.columnNumber)               // 6
  console.log(e.stack)                      // "@Scratchpad/2:2:7\n"
}

Creating a ReferenceError

try {
  throw new ReferenceError('Hello', 'someFile.js', 10)
} catch (e) {
  console.log(e instanceof ReferenceError)  // true
  console.log(e.message)                    // "Hello"
  console.log(e.name)                       // "ReferenceError"
  console.log(e.fileName)                   // "someFile.js"
  console.log(e.lineNumber)                 // 10
  console.log(e.columnNumber)               // 0
  console.log(e.stack)                      // "@Scratchpad/2:2:9\n"
}

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript (ECMA-262)The definition of 'ReferenceError' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile						Server
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet	Node.js
ReferenceError	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support 5	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0	nodejs Full support 0.1.100
ReferenceError() constructor	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support 5	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0	nodejs Full support 0.1.100

Legend

Full support  

Full support

See also

• Error

ReferenceError by Mozilla Contributors is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.5.