Scalar Primitives

Perhaps you have heard of primitives in JavaScript but have you heard of these values referred to as scalar primitives? Let’s do a quick deep dive on what a scalar primitive is and if there is a distinction between the two.

I had first heard the reference to a “scalar primitive” when reading Kyle Sympson’s You Don’t Know JS — which I highly recommend for anyone who’d like to get into the nuts and bolts of JavaScript. Here is the free reference: You Don’t Know JS 

During a Javascript Book Club meet-up , a few other developers including myself brought up the conversation of “scalar primitives” questioning the terminology. Let’s take a look together at the termonology and clear up some naming conventions.

What does ‘scalar’ even mean?

According to Merriam-Webster:

Definition of scalar (adjective)
1: having an uninterrupted series of steps. 
2: capable of being represented by a point on a scale

It accurate for us to think of scalar as a point on a scale (or point of data). In simpler terms, scalar means a single value.

Summarizing Notes:

• Most important to note, in JavaScript the “scalar primitive values” are immutable. (Immutable means after a value type has been set in memory it cannot be mutated/modified/changed.)
• Arrays and Objects are not scalar as they are comprised of multiple values/units of data. These are known as compound values.
• Scalar primitives are always assigned and passed by value-copy, not by referrence.
• Our “primitive” values are really the same as scalar primitives as they are single units of data that are immutable. Scalar is simply an add-on adjective that helps to describe the intended behavior of these values.

Scalar Primitive Values

• Null
• Undefined
• Boolean
• Number (including BigInt)
• String
• Symbol (ES6)

Primimtives vs. Natives

One last mention that may clear up some confusion is to discuss the distinction between ‘primitives’ and ‘natives’. I suggest reading Ch. 3 within Types & Grammer - You Don’t Know JS to go in-depth on natives and primitives.

The End

In conclusion, scalar primitive values are our immutable/single values within JavaScript’s native data types. They include: null, undefined, boolean, number, string and symbol. I hope this article provided you with some clarity of a scalar primitive.

Cover Photo Credit: Artem Sapegin