JavaScript errorSyntaxError: “Unexpected identifier”

Why the parser stopped, and the fix

1. 01

   A missing comma or operator

   “A specific language construct was expected, but something else was provided. This might be a simple typo.” MDN, SyntaxError: Unexpected token

   Two values side by side with nothing between them: object properties without a comma, a string and a variable without +, or two statements on one line. The identifier in the message is the second value.

   // Unexpected identifier 'email'
   const user = { name: 'Ana' email: 'ana@example.com' };
   
   // fixed
   const user = { name: 'Ana', email: 'ana@example.com' };

2. 02

   A misspelled keyword

   funtion load(), retrun value or cosnt x makes the parser read the misspelled word as a name, and the next word is then unexpected. Your editor’s syntax colouring usually shows it: the keyword is not highlighted.

   // Unexpected identifier 'load'
   funtion load() {}
   
   function load() {}

3. 03

   A bracket or quote not closed earlier

   An unclosed (, { or string a few lines up changes how everything after it is read, and the error appears later than the real mistake. Format the file with Prettier: where the indentation goes wrong is where the bracket is missing.

4. 04

   TypeScript or other syntax run as plain JavaScript

   type User = {...} or interface User in a .js file, or in a .ts file run directly with an old Node.js version, fails with an unexpected identifier, and import type { A } fails with an unexpected token. Rename the file to .ts and compile it, or remove the TypeScript-only syntax.

   // in a .js file this fails: Unexpected identifier 'User'
   type User = { id: string };

Checked against the vendor’s docs on November 8, 2026: MDN: SyntaxError: Unexpected token.

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Related: “Unexpected token < in JSON” · “Cannot use import statement outside a module” · “require is not defined”