When using the parseInt function in JavaScript, a string and a radix (between 2 and 36) are required. The function first removes any whitespace and then checks if the characters in the string represent a valid number within the specified radix range. If the initial character is not a valid number according to the radix, NaN is returned. It continues parsing character by character until a valid number is found.
For example, parseInt("-bob",36)
will return -15131 in base 36. However, parseint("3",3)
will result in NaN. In the case of
parseint(" 1234567890", 10)
, the function will return 1234567890 after eliminating the leading white spaces.
It is important to note that the starting character of the string can affect the interpretation of the radix. Specifying the radix ensures correct parsing, especially when dealing with non-decimal numbers. Default radices can lead to unexpected behavior, such as interpreting numbers starting with 0 as octal or hexadecimal values.
For more information on the parseInt function and how it handles various scenarios, refer to Mozilla's comprehensive documentation.