In javascript, switch and if are not equivalent. The switch statement is type exact.

It was not a complete surprise, but I did not expect it, either: the switch statement in Javascript is type exact, meaning that a classic if block like this:

if (x==1) { 
  doSomething() 
} else { 
  doSomethingElse(); 
}

is not equivalent to

switch(x) {
  case 1:
    doSomething();
    break;
  default:
    doSomethingElse();
    break;
}

If x is a string with the value '1' the if will do something, while the switch will do something else (pardon the pun). The equivalent if block for the switch statement would be:

if (x===1) { 
  doSomething() 
} else { 
  doSomethingElse(); 
}

(Notice the triple equality sign, which is type exact)

Just needed to be said.