Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global objects/SyntaxError

The SyntaxError object represents an error when trying to interpret syntactically invalid code. It is thrown when the JavaScript engine encounters tokens or token order that does not conform to the syntax of the language when parsing code.

Constructor

SyntaxError(): Creates a new SyntaxError object.

Instance properties

SyntaxError.prototype.message: Error message. Although ECMA-262 specifies that SyntaxError should provide its own message property, in SpiderMonkey, it inherits Error.prototype.message.
SyntaxError.prototype.name: Error name. Inherited from Error.
SyntaxError.prototype.fileName: Path to file that raised this error. Inherited from Error.
SyntaxError.prototype.lineNumber: Line number in file that raised this error. Inherited from Error.
SyntaxError.prototype.columnNumber: Column number in line that raised this error. Inherited from Error.
SyntaxError.prototype.stack: Stack trace. Inherited from Error.

Examples

Catching a SyntaxError

try {
  eval('hoo bar');
} catch (e) {
  console.error(e instanceof SyntaxError); 
  console.error(e.message);                
  console.error(e.name);                   
  console.error(e.fileName);               
  console.error(e.lineNumber);             
  console.error(e.columnNumber);           
  console.error(e.stack);                  
}

Creating a SyntaxError

try {
  throw new SyntaxError('Hello', 'someFile.js', 10);
} catch (e) {
  console.error(e instanceof SyntaxError); // true
  console.error(e.message);                // Hello
  console.error(e.name);                   // SyntaxError
  console.error(e.fileName);               // someFile.js
  console.error(e.lineNumber);             // 10
  console.error(e.columnNumber);           // 0
  console.error(e.stack);                  // @debugger eval code:3:9
}

Specifications

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

Browser compatibility

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
`SyntaxError`	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
`SyntaxError()` 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