Dear MDN / Mozilla team,
I hope this message finds you well.
I am seeking clarification regarding terminology used in JavaScript documentation and the ECMAScript specification. Specifically, I want to understand the relationship and correct usage between the terms “primitive type” and “primitive value.”
The ECMAScript Language Specification (e.g., §6.1) refers to “primitive values” as distinct from object values. However, in many educational resources, including MDN Web Docs, the term “primitive type” is commonly used.
Could you please clarify:
Is “primitive type” an accepted and accurate term to describe these fundamental JavaScript types, despite the specification primarily using “primitive value”?
Is it correct to consider “primitive type” as a pedagogical simplification or generalization based on the specification?
Would you consider the terms interchangeable in practical usage, or is one preferred over the other in official documentation?
Thank you very much for your time and for the invaluable resources you provide to the developer community.
Best regards,
Andriy Ovcharov.