What is Addition Assignment Operator (+=) in JavaScript?

The Addition Assignment Operator (+=) adds the right operand to the left operand and assigns the result back to the left operand. It's a shorthand way of writing a = a + b.

Syntax

variable += value;
// Equivalent to: variable = variable + value;

Example with Numbers

Here's how the addition assignment operator works with numeric values:

<html>
   <body>
      <script>
         var a = 33;
         var b = 10;

         document.write("Initial value of a: " + a + "<br>");
         document.write("Value of b: " + b + "<br>");
         
         a += b;  // Same as: a = a + b
         
         document.write("After a += b, value of a: " + a);
      </script>
   </body>
</html>
Initial value of a: 33
Value of b: 10
After a += b, value of a: 43

Example with Strings

The += operator also works with strings for concatenation:

<html>
   <body>
      <script>
         var greeting = "Hello";
         var name = " World";

         document.write("Initial greeting: " + greeting + "<br>");
         greeting += name;  // String concatenation
         document.write("After concatenation: " + greeting);
      </script>
   </body>
</html>
Initial greeting: Hello
After concatenation: Hello World

Common Use Cases

The addition assignment operator is commonly used in:

  • Counter increments: count += 1
  • Sum calculations: total += price
  • String building: message += newText

Conclusion

The += operator provides a concise way to add and assign values in one operation. It works with both numbers (addition) and strings (concatenation), making code more readable and efficient.

Updated on: 2026-03-15T21:58:56+05:30

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