The toString() stringifier method of a WorkerLocation object returns a string containing the serialized URL for the worker’s location. MDN documents it as a synonym for WorkerLocation.href. Learn when to call it, how it matches href, and how string coercion works—with five examples and try-it labs.
Instance method
String
None
href
Web Workers only
Baseline widely
Inside a worker, self.location is a WorkerLocation object that describes the worker script URL. Calling location.toString() turns that object into the full serialized URL string—the same value as location.href.
MDN’s classic idea: on a worker related to https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web, location.toString() can look like that full URL string.
Prefer location.href when you want a clear property name. Use toString() when you care about the stringifier / coercion behavior—both return the same URL text.
toString() MethodAn instance method (stringifier) on WorkerLocation that returns the serialized worker URL as a string.
location.href.self.location.toString() or location.toString() inside the worker.Call the method inside a worker script:
toString()None.
A string containing the serialized URL for the worker’s location (same as WorkerLocation.href).
// Inside a Web Worker
const result = self.location.toString();
self.postMessage(result);| Goal | Code / note |
|---|---|
| Call toString | self.location.toString() |
| Return type | String |
| Same as | self.location.href |
| Parameters | None |
| Send to main | self.postMessage(location.toString()) |
| MDN status | Baseline Widely available (since July 2015) |
Four facts to remember about WorkerLocation.toString().
URL stringSerialized
in workerself.location
noneNo arguments
widelySince Jul 2015
Examples follow MDN WorkerLocation.toString(). Labs use blob workers and compare toString() with href.
Call toString() the MDN way.
location.toString() (MDN Idea)Post the serialized worker URL string to the main thread.
const result = self.location.toString();
// e.g. "https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web"
self.postMessage(result);The try-it lab posts the live blob worker toString() result plus the MDN sample string for comparison.
toString() vs hrefConfirm they are the same serialized URL string.
self.postMessage({
viaToString: location.toString(),
viaHref: location.href,
same: location.toString() === location.href
});MDN’s synonym claim is easy to verify: both properties/methods yield the same string.
See string coercion and blob worker URLs.
Template literals and String() can use the stringifier.
self.postMessage({
explicit: location.toString(),
viaString: String(location),
viaTemplate: `${location}`
});Calling toString() explicitly is clearest for beginners; coercion often produces the same URL text.
Log toString() with protocol for a blob worker.
self.postMessage({
url: location.toString(),
protocol: location.protocol
});Blob workers still serialize cleanly via toString()—you get the full blob:… URL string.
Post the worker URL; compare it with location.toString() on the page.
// Worker
self.postMessage(location.toString());
// Main
worker.onmessage = (e) => {
console.log("worker:", e.data);
console.log("page:", location.toString());
};Same method name, different location objects: worker script URL vs page URL.
toString() and href match on WorkerLocation.Main creates a Worker with an http(s) or blob script URL.
Inside the worker, self.location describes that absolute script URL.
The stringifier returns the full serialized URL (same as href).
Log, compare with href, or postMessage the string to the main thread.
WorkerLocation.toString() is marked Baseline Widely available on MDN (since July 2015). Logos use the shared browser-image-sprite.png sprite from this project. It is only available in Web Workers.
Returns the serialized worker URL as a string. Synonym for location.href inside a worker.
Bottom line: Call location.toString() inside the worker—or use location.href. Both serialize the worker script URL.
WorkerLocation.toString() is the stringifier for the worker script URL. It returns the same serialized string as href—call either one inside the worker when you need the full URL text.
Continue with href, search, origin, or the JavaScript hub.
toString() only inside a workerlocation.hrefpostMessage to surface the URL on the pagetoString() or href over silent coercion in teaching codeWorkerLocation on the main threadtoString()host when you need the full URL (prefer href / toString())WorkerLocation.toString()The worker script URL, as a string.
URL string
APIself.location
ContexttoString()
Rulesame string
Synonymsince Jul 2015
StatusMany DOM / URL objects expose a stringifier so "" + location or a template literal can print a useful URL. On WorkerLocation, that stringifier is toString()—and it matches href by design.
Continue with href, search, and Worker APIs.
5 people found this page helpful