JavaScript: The Good Parts

Semicolon

JavaScript uses a C-like syntax, which requires the use of semicolons to delimit statements. JavaScript attempts to make semicolons optional with a semicolon insertion mechanism. This is dangerous.

Like C, JavaScript has ++ and -- and ( operators, which can be prefixes or suffixes. The disambiguation is done by the semicolon.

In JavaScript, a linefeed can be whitespace, or it can act as a semicolon. This replaces one ambiguity with another.

JSLint expects that every statement be followed by ; except for for, function, if, switch, try, and while. JSLint does not expect to see unnecessary semicolons or the empty statement.