Generator
BaselineWidely available
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since September 2016.
TheGenerator
object is returned by agenerator function and it conforms to both theiterable protocol and theiterator protocol.
Generator
is a subclass of the hiddenIterator
class.
Constructor
There's no JavaScript entity that corresponds to theGenerator
constructor. Instances ofGenerator
must be returned fromgenerator functions:
function* generator() { yield 1; yield 2; yield 3;}const gen = generator(); // "Generator { }"console.log(gen.next().value); // 1console.log(gen.next().value); // 2console.log(gen.next().value); // 3
There's only a hidden object which is the prototype object shared by all objects created by generator functions. This object is often stylized asGenerator.prototype
to make it look like a class, but it should be more appropriately calledGeneratorFunction.prototype.prototype
, becauseGeneratorFunction
is an actual JavaScript entity. To understand the prototype chain ofGenerator
instances, seeGeneratorFunction.prototype.prototype
.
Instance properties
These properties are defined onGenerator.prototype
and shared by allGenerator
instances.
Generator.prototype.constructor
The constructor function that created the instance object. For
Generator
instances, the initial value isGeneratorFunction.prototype
.Note:
Generator
objects do not store a reference to the generator function that created them.Generator.prototype[Symbol.toStringTag]
The initial value of the
[Symbol.toStringTag]
property is the string"Generator"
. This property is used inObject.prototype.toString()
.
Instance methods
Also inherits instance methods from its parentIterator
.
Generator.prototype.next()
Returns a value yielded by the
yield
expression.Generator.prototype.return()
Acts as if a
return
statement is inserted in the generator's body at the current suspended position, which finishes the generator and allows the generator to perform any cleanup tasks when combined with atry...finally
block.Generator.prototype.throw()
Acts as if a
throw
statement is inserted in the generator's body at the current suspended position, which informs the generator of an error condition and allows it to handle the error, or perform cleanup and close itself.
Examples
An infinite iterator
With a generator function, values are not evaluated until they are needed. Therefore a generator allows us to define a potentially infinite data structure.
function* infinite() { let index = 0; while (true) { yield index++; }}const generator = infinite(); // "Generator { }"console.log(generator.next().value); // 0console.log(generator.next().value); // 1console.log(generator.next().value); // 2// …
Specifications
Specification |
---|
ECMAScript® 2026 Language Specification # sec-generator-objects |