JavaScript shortcuts for TRUE and FALSE

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Here’s a neat trick if you’re into micro-optimization. JavaScript compressors and minifiers are used to make JavaScript code smaller and, usually, unreadable.

Compressing JavaScript Code

Compressing this JavaScript code:

let foo = true,
    bar = false;

Results in this compressed code:

let foo=!0,bar=!1; 

So what’s interesting is how the compressor treats literals such as true and false into smaller units. You see that true is represented with !0 and false with !1.

Reading it carefully, we can see that true has been changed into “not zero”. “zero” is usually an indicator of false, so in this case, “not zero” means it’s true. And, obviously, it’s the other way around with “not one”.

Now you can update your code and save 2 or 3 bits for every boolean operator :)

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