What does the `$` symbol mean in JavaScript?

General Discussions
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1

I often come across questions about the use of symbols in JavaScript syntax. One symbol that causes confusion is the dollar sign ($). What does $ mean in JavaScript, and when should it be used?

Some common use cases include:

  1. In jQuery, where $ is an alias for the jQuery function.
  2. As a variable name or function name in regular JavaScript code.
  3. In template literals, where it’s part of the ${} syntax for interpolating expressions.

How can I better understand the different contexts in which the $ symbol is used in JavaScript?

2

After working with JavaScript for a few years, I can say this trips up a lot of beginners. When it comes to what does $ mean in javascript, the first thing to understand is that $ itself has no special meaning in plain JavaScript. It’s simply a valid character for naming variables and functions, much like letters or numbers. Some developers use it as a naming convention — for instance, to quickly recognize variables holding DOM elements or jQuery instances.

Example:

let $button = document.querySelector('button');
$button.addEventListener('click', function() {
  alert('Button clicked!');
});

Here, $button is just a regular variable name. There’s no secret sauce — it’s just a helpful habit developers use to make their code clearer at a glance.

3

Absolutely agree with Akansha! Building on that — with my experience especially in projects involving legacy codebases, another big place where people encounter what does $ mean in javascript is in jQuery. In jQuery, $ is not just a random choice — it’s actually a shorthand alias for the jQuery function itself. It made code super concise back in the day when jQuery was everywhere.

Example:

$(document).ready(function() {
  alert("Document is ready!");
});

Here, $ is just a quick way to call jQuery. It’s selecting the document and waiting for it to be ready before running the function. So if you’re seeing lots of $() in older or even some current code, chances are it’s using jQuery under the hood.

4

Both great points! And just to round it out — with modern JavaScript, another important context for understanding what does $ mean in javascript is inside template literals. When we write ${} inside backticks (```), the dollar sign signals expression interpolation. It allows us to embed variables or even full expressions directly inside a string, which is super handy for dynamic text.

Example:

let name = "Alice";
let message = `Hello, ${name}! How are you?`;
console.log(message);  // Output: Hello, Alice! How are you?

In this case, ${} is not about naming or jQuery — it’s part of JavaScript’s own syntax for building dynamic strings. It’s a small but powerful feature that makes code cleaner and easier to maintain.