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How to Check Web Storage Browser Support in JavaScript

How to Check Web Storage Browser Support in JavaScript

Web Storage is a mechanism that allows web applications to store data in a user’s browser. It provides two storage mechanisms, namely localStorage and sessionStorage, which allow developers to store data in key-value pairs. However, before using these storage mechanisms, it is important to check whether the user’s browser supports them or not. In this article, we will discuss how to check web storage browser support in JavaScript.

Checking for Web Storage Support

To check if the user’s browser supports web storage, we can use the typeof operator to determine if the localStorage or sessionStorage objects are available. Here is an example:

if (typeof(Storage) !== "undefined") {
  // Web storage is supported
} else {
  // Web storage is not supported
}

In the above code, we are checking if the Storage object is defined or not. If it is defined, we can assume that web storage is supported in the user’s browser.

Using Feature Detection

Another way to check for web storage support is by using feature detection. Feature detection is a technique that involves checking if a particular feature is available in the user’s browser before using it. Here is an example of how we can use feature detection to check for web storage support:

function isWebStorageSupported() {
  try {
    var storage = window['localStorage'],
        x = '__storage_test__';
    storage.setItem(x, x);
    storage.removeItem(x);
    return true;
  }
  catch(e) {
    return false;
  }
}

if (isWebStorageSupported()) {
  // Web storage is supported
} else {
  // Web storage is not supported
}

In the above code, we are trying to set and remove an item from the localStorage object. If the operation is successful, we can assume that web storage is supported in the user’s browser.

Conclusion

In conclusion, checking for web storage browser support is important before using web storage in your web applications. We can use the typeof operator or feature detection to check for web storage support. By doing so, we can ensure that our web applications are compatible with all modern browsers.

  • localStorage: A mechanism that allows web applications to store data in a user’s browser with no expiration date.
  • sessionStorage: A mechanism that allows web applications to store data in a user’s browser for the duration of the session.
  • Feature Detection: A technique that involves checking if a particular feature is available in the user’s browser before using it.

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