JavaScript Array Methods
The JavaScript method toString() converts an array to a string of
(comma separated) array values.
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML =
fruits.toString();
Result:
Banana,Orange,Apple,Mango
Try it Yourself »
The join() method also joins all array elements into a string.
It behaves just like toString(), but in addition you can specify the
separator:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = fruits.join(" *
");
Result:
Banana * Orange * Apple * Mango
Try it Yourself »
Popping and Pushing
When you work with arrays, it is easy to remove elements and
add new elements.
This is what popping and pushing is:
Popping items out of an array, or pushing items into an array.
Popping
The pop() method removes the last element from an array:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.pop(); // Removes the last element ("Mango") from
fruits
Try it Yourself »
The pop() method returns the value that was "popped out":
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"]; var x =
fruits.pop(); // the value of x is "Mango"
Try it Yourself »
Pushing
The push() method adds a new element to an array (at the end):
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.push("Kiwi"); // Adds a new element ("Kiwi") to fruits
Try it Yourself »
The push() method returns the new array length:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"]; var x =
fruits.push("Kiwi"); // the value of x is 5
Try it Yourself »
Shifting Elements
Shifting is equivalent to popping, working on the first element
instead of the last.
The shift() method removes the first array element and "shifts"
all other elements to a lower index.
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.shift(); // Removes the first element "Banana" from
fruits
Try it Yourself »
The shift() method returns the string that was "shifted out":
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"]; var x =
fruits.shift(); // the value of x is "Banana"
Try it Yourself »
The unshift() method adds a new element to an array (at the
beginning), and "unshifts" older elements:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.unshift("Lemon"); // Adds a new element "Lemon" to
fruits
Try it Yourself »
The unshift() method returns the new array length.
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.unshift("Lemon"); // Returns 5
Try it Yourself »
Changing Elements
Array elements are accessed using their index number:
Array indexes start with 0. [0] is the first array element, [1] is
the second, [2] is the third ...
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"]; fruits[0] =
"Kiwi"; // Changes the first element of fruits to "Kiwi"
Try it Yourself »
The length property provides an easy way to append a new
element to an array:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits[fruits.length] = "Kiwi"; // Appends "Kiwi" to fruits
Try it Yourself »
Deleting Elements
Since JavaScript arrays are objects, elements can be deleted by
using the JavaScript operator delete:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
delete fruits[0]; // Changes the first element in fruits to
undefined
Try it Yourself »
Using delete may leave undefined holes in the array. Use pop()
or shift() instead.
Splicing an Array
The splice() method can be used to add new items to an array:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.splice(2, 0, "Lemon", "Kiwi");
Try it Yourself »
The first parameter (2) defines the position where new elements
should be added (spliced in).
The second parameter (0) defines how many elements should
be removed.
The rest of the parameters ("Lemon" , "Kiwi") define the new
elements to be added.
The splice() method returns an array with the deleted items:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.splice(2, 2, "Lemon", "Kiwi");
Try it Yourself »
Using splice() to Remove Elements
With clever parameter setting, you can use splice() to remove
elements without leaving "holes" in the array:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.splice(0, 1); // Removes the first element of fruits
Try it Yourself »
The first parameter (0) defines the position where new elements
should be added (spliced in).
The second parameter (1) defines how many elements should be
removed.
The rest of the parameters are omitted. No new elements will be
added.
Merging (Concatenating) Arrays
The concat() method creates a new array by merging
(concatenating) existing arrays:
var myGirls = ["Cecilie", "Lone"]; var myBoys = ["Emil", "Tobias",
"Linus"];
var myChildren = myGirls.concat(myBoys); // Concatenates
(joins) myGirls and myBoys
Try it Yourself »
The concat() method does not change the existing arrays. It
always returns a new array.
The concat() method can take any number of array arguments:
var arr1 = ["Cecilie", "Lone"]; var arr2 = ["Emil", "Tobias",
"Linus"]; var arr3 = ["Robin", "Morgan"];
var myChildren = arr1.concat(arr2, arr3); // Concatenates arr1
with arr2 and arr3
Try it Yourself »
The concat() method can also take values as arguments:
var arr1 = ["Cecilie", "Lone"]; var myChildren =
arr1.concat(["Emil", "Tobias", "Linus"]);
Try it Yourself »
Slicing an Array
The slice() method slices out a piece of an array into a new
array.
This example slices out a part of an array starting from array
element 1 ("Orange"):
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Lemon", "Apple", "Mango"]; var
citrus = fruits.slice(1);
Try it Yourself »
The slice() method creates a new array. It does not remove any
elements from the source array.
This example slices out a part of an array starting from array
element 3 ("Apple"):
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Lemon", "Apple", "Mango"]; var
citrus = fruits.slice(3);
Try it Yourself »
The slice() method can take two arguments like slice(1, 3).
The method then selects elements from the start argument, and
up to (but not including) the end argument.
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Lemon", "Apple", "Mango"]; var
citrus = fruits.slice(1, 3);
Try it Yourself »
If the end argument is omitted, like in the first examples, the
slice() method slices out the rest of the array.
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Lemon", "Apple", "Mango"]; var
citrus = fruits.slice(2);
Try it Yourself »
Automatic toString()
JavaScript automatically converts an array to a comma
separated string when a primitive value is expected.
This is always the case when you try to output an array.
These two examples will produce the same result:
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML =
fruits.toString();
Try it Yourself »
var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = fruits;
Try it Yourself »
All JavaScript objects have a toString() method.
Finding Max and Min Values in an Array
There are no built-in functions for finding the highest or lowest
value in a JavaScript array.
You will learn how you solve this problem in the next chapter of
this tutorial.
Sorting Arrays
Sorting arrays are covered in the next chapter of this tutorial.
Complete Array Reference
For a complete reference, go to our Complete JavaScript Array
Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Array
properties and methods.
