URL

`URL.prototype.protocol`

Returns or sets the protocol scheme of the URL including the trailing colon

Syntax

JavaScript

url.protocol

Return Value

A string containing the protocol (e.g. 'https:')

Examples

Basic Usage

const url = new URL('https://example.com')
console.log(url.protocol) // 'https:'

Practical Example

const url = new URL('http://example.com')
url.protocol = 'https:'
console.log(url.href) // 'https://example.com/'

Advanced Usage

function isSecure(urlStr: string): boolean {
  return new URL(urlStr).protocol === 'https:'
}

Understanding URL.prototype.protocol

The URL.prototype.protocol method in JavaScript returns or sets the protocol scheme of the URL including the trailing colon. It belongs to the URL object and is one of the most widely used methods for working with url values in modern JavaScript and TypeScript applications.

The method signature is url.protocol. When called, it returns a string containing the protocol (e.g. 'https:'). Understanding when and how to use protocol() helps you write more expressive, readable code.

Common use cases for URL.prototype.protocol include data transformation, input validation, API response processing, and building reusable utility functions. It works well alongside related methods like url-origin, url-hostname, url-port, enabling you to chain operations together for complex data manipulation pipelines.

Browser support for URL.prototype.protocol is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. It is also fully supported in Node.js and Deno. For older environments, transpilation with Babel or a polyfill may be needed.