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For example, in test.js this is allowed (and extremely pointless):

1 + 2;
(function () {});

When executing with node:

$ node test.js
$

The form function () {} (without parentheses) is allowed in other contexts, for example as an argument to another function.

Why is not the following allowed in the top level of a JavaScript file?

function () {};
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    Why do you need this? A name-less function without any handles to it is just a noop! Commented Jun 3, 2012 at 12:15
  • possible duplicate of Why need I wrap anonymous function in parenthesis before calling it in Javascript? Commented Jun 3, 2012 at 13:57
  • @EmilVikström I certainly don't need it. I'm merely curious as to why it works that way. Commented Jun 3, 2012 at 16:31

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A statement that starts with function is a function statement.
Function statements must be named. (since they create a declaration in that scope)

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8 Comments

The precise term would be function declaration afaik.
@FelixKling: Not according to Firefox: SyntaxError: function statement requires a name
Maybe in JavaScript, but according to ECMAScript: ecma-international.org/ecma-262/5.1/#sec-13
Mozilla Firefox uses FunctionStatement as an extension of a FunctionDecleration (but this is afaik. non-standard). A great explanation can be found here: javascriptweblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/…
@SLaks—ECMAScript has only FunctionDeclaration and FunctionExpression, FunctionStatement is a Mozilla JavaScript thing (as Saebekassebil said).
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