---
id: docs-syntax
title: JSX Syntax
description: Writing JavaScript with XML syntax.
layout: docs
prev: common-questions.html
next: component-basics.html
---

JSX is a JavaScript XML syntax transform recommended (but not required) for use
with React.

## Why JSX?

First of all, **don't use JSX if you don't like it!**

React works out of the box without JSX. Simply construct your markup using the
functions on `React.DOM`. For example, here's how to construct a simple link:

```javascript
var link = React.DOM.a({href: 'http://facebook.github.io/react'}, 'React');
```

We recommend using JSX for many reasons:

- It's easier to visualize the structure of the DOM.
- Designers are more comfortable making changes.
- It's familiar for those who have used MXML or XAML.

## The Transform

JSX transforms XML-like syntax into native JavaScript. It turns XML elements and
attributes into function calls and objects, respectively.

```javascript
var Nav;
// Input (JSX):
var app = <Nav color="blue" />;
// Output (JS):
var app = Nav({color:'blue'});
```

Notice that in order to use `<Nav />`, the `Nav` variable must be in scope.

JSX also allows specifying children using XML syntax:

```javascript
var Nav, Profile;
// Input (JSX):
var app = <Nav color="blue"><Profile>click</Profile></Nav>;
// Output (JS):
var app = Nav({color:'blue'}, Profile({}, 'click'));
```

Use the [JSX Compiler](/react/jsx-compiler.html) to try out JSX and see how it
desugars into native JavaScript.

If you want to use JSX, the [Getting Started](getting-started.html) guide shows
how to setup compilation.

> Note:
>
> Details about the code transform are given here to increase understanding, but
> your code should not rely on these implementation details.

## React and JSX

React and JSX are independent technologies, but JSX was primarily built with
React in mind. The two valid uses of JSX are:

- To construct instances of React DOM components (`React.DOM.*`).
- To construct instances of composite components created with
  `React.createClass()`.

**React DOM Components**

To construct a `<div>` is to create a variable that refers to `React.DOM.div`.

```javascript
var div = React.DOM.div;
var app = <div className="appClass">Hello, React!</div>;
```

**React Component Components**

To construct an instance of a composite component, create a variable that
references the class.

```javascript
var MyComponent = React.createClass({/*...*/});
var app = <MyComponent someProperty={true} />;
```

See [Component Basics](component-basics.html) to learn more about components.

> Note:
>
> Since JSX is JavaScript, identifiers such as `class` and `for` are discouraged
> as XML attribute names. Instead, React DOM components expect attributes like
> `className` and `htmlFor`, respectively.

## DOM Convenience

Having to define variables for every type of DOM element can get tedious
(e.g. `var div, span, h1, h2, ...`). JSX provides a convenience to address this
problem by allowing you to specify a variable in an `@jsx` docblock field. JSX
will use that field to find DOM components.

```javascript
/**
 * @jsx React.DOM
 */
var Nav;
// Input (JSX):
var tree = <Nav><span /></Nav>;
// Output (JS):
var tree = Nav({}, React.DOM.span({}));
```

> Remember:
>
> JSX simply transforms elements into function calls and has no notion of the
> DOM. The docblock parameter is only a convenience to resolve the most commonly
> used elements. In general, JSX has no notion of the DOM.

## JavaScript Expressions

#### Attribute Expressions

To use a JavaScript expression as an attribute value, wrap the expression in a
pair of curly braces (`{}`) instead of quotes (`""`).

```javascript
// Input (JSX):
var person = <Person name={window.isLoggedIn ? window.name : ''} />;
// Output (JS):
var person = Person({name: window.isLoggedIn ? window.name : ''});
```

#### Child Expressions

Likewise, JavaScript expressions may be used to express children:

```javascript
// Input (JSX):
var content = <Container>{window.isLoggedIn ? <Nav /> : <Login />}</Container>;
// Output (JS):
var content = Container({}, window.isLoggedIn ? <Nav /> : <Login />);
```

## Tooling

Beyond the compilation step, JSX does not require any special tools.

- Many editors already include reasonable support for JSX (Vim, Emacs js2-mode).
- Linting provides accurate line numbers after compiling without sourcemaps.
- Elements use standard scoping so linters can find usage of out-of-scope
  components.

## Prior Work

JSX is similar to several other JavaScript embedded XML language
proposals/projects. Some of the features of JSX that distinguish it from similar
efforts include:

- JSX is a simple syntactic transform.
- JSX neither provides nor requires a runtime library.
- JSX does not alter or add to the semantics of JavaScript.
