In JavaScript, the window.open() function is commonly used to open a new browser window or tab. According to the w3schools documentation, the default value for the target parameter of window.open() is _blank. This has led me to question whether explicitly setting target="_blank" when calling window.open() offers any practical benefits or if it is merely redundant.
From what I gather, omitting the target or setting it to _blank should theoretically yield the same outcome—a new tab or window. However, are there any edge cases or browser-specific behaviors that might make explicitly specifying _blank advantageous or necessary? For instance, could there be differences in how browsers handle security, user settings, or pop-up blocking when _blank is explicitly set?
I'm looking for insights into whether there are functional, security, or compatibility reasons to explicitly include _blank in the window.open() call, especially given the evolution of browser standards and practices.
It makes no difference to what happens. The window specification defines the target parameter as being a string with a default value of "_blank":
WindowProxy? open(optional USVString url = "", optional DOMString target = "_blank", optional [LegacyNullToEmptyString] DOMString features = ""); getter object (DOMString name);
(My emphasis.)
So not providing it at all or providing "_blank" does the same thing. It's up to you whether including it is in some way clearer (or alternatively, unnecessary clutter).