JQuery variable if statement error -

i trying check whether content user has submitted contains correct information. doing adding inputted context variable [code] , trying if else catch see whether matches want. [strong] variable.

however, not appear working, can shed light on this? please see below code.

$(document).ready(function() {      $('#button-bold').click(function() {           var code = jquery("textarea#bold-code").val();          var $pass = "congratulations, have entered correctly";         var $fail = "oops, again, can see have gone wrong?"          var $strong = "<strong>recreate preview exactly</strong>";           if (code == strong) {             alert(pass);             $('#bold-output').append(code)          }else {             alert(fail);         } }); }); 

thank in advance.

you've got mismatched variable names , without dollars - you're defining $strong, $pass , $fail leading dollars using strong, pass , fail without dollar.

(as aside, see dollar prefix on javascript variables means contain jquery selectors, e.g.

var $output = $('#bold-output'); 

rather general data - that's 1 convention.)