# JavaScript String indexOf() Method

JavaScript String Reference

## Example

Search a string for "welcome":

var str = "Hello world, welcome to the universe.";
var n = str.indexOf("welcome");

The result of n will be:

Try it yourself »

More "Try it Yourself" examples below.

## Definition and Usage

The indexOf() method returns the position of the first occurrence of a specified value in a string.

This method returns -1 if the value to search for never occurs.

Note: The indexOf() method is case sensitive.

Tip: Also look at the lastIndexOf() method.

## Browser Support

Method |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
indexOf() | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes

## Syntax

string.indexOf(searchvalue,start)

## Parameter Values

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
searchvalue | Required. The string to search for
start | Optional. Default 0. At which position to start the search

## Technical Details

Return Value: | A Number, representing the position where the specified searchvalue occurs for the first time, or -1 if it never occurs
JavaScript Version: | 1.0

## More Examples

## Example

Find the first occurrence of the letter "e" in a string:

var str = "Hello world, welcome to the universe.";
var n = str.indexOf("e");

The result of n will be:

Try it yourself »

## Example

Find the first occurrence of the letter "e" in a string, starting the search at position 5:

var str = "Hello world, welcome to the universe.";
var n = str.indexOf("e",5);

The result of n will be:

Try it yourself »

JavaScript String Reference

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