Arrays

The Humble Array

The most powerful datastructure

Array.prototype

♥'s you

Where shared methods live.

  • [forEach, map, reduce, filter, etc. ]

Array.prototype is extensible

Let's make a method

Array.prototype.flatten

COol

So if we need more stuff, we can add it!

But please don't.

Because that is called A Monkey Patch

And is generally frowned upon in most communities.

But we get some rad stuff

for Free!

  • Array.prototype.concat()
  • Array.prototype.every()
  • Array.prototype.filter()
  • Array.prototype.find()
  • Array.prototype.forEach()
  • Array.prototype.indexOf()
  • Array.prototype.join()
  • Array.prototype.lastIndexOf()
  • Array.prototype.map()
  • Array.prototype.pop()
  • Array.prototype.push()
  • Array.prototype.reduce()
  • Array.prototype.reduceRight()
  • Array.prototype.reverse()
  • Array.prototype.shift()
  • Array.prototype.slice()
  • Array.prototype.some()
  • Array.prototype.sort()
  • Array.prototype.splice()
  • Array.prototype.toString()
  • Array.prototype.unshift()
var a = new array();
var a = [];

THINK SMART, THINK JSMART.

var a = new array();
new Array(5, 4, 3, 2, 1);

Y?

new Array(5);
  • JavaScript is dynamic, so memory isn't allocated by the author.
     
  • Array literals are more performant than constructors.
     
  • You can initialize with a single value. The one initialization case you can't do with the constructor.

YOu don't gain anything

The Array reference can be overridden. 

YOu Could Lose Everything

oh noes!

Anything you can do with a single thing...

...You can easily do with lots of them

Arrays are Super usefull

You only really need to know a handful of methods

forEach

map

filter

 

reduce
includes

find

concat

 

slice

Slice

Sweeny Todd Would Be Proud

const bitOHoney = aSweetArray.slice(1, 4)

Create a copy of a subset of an array

the index of the beginning of the slice (inclusive)

returns a new array that contains a the subset

the index of the end of the slice (exclusive)

const bitOHoney = aSweetArray.slice(-1)

negative numbers start from the end of the array

leave off the second argument to slice through the last item in the array

Slice

Playing with knives

Concat

As in Dog or just anti-pet generally?

const longer = someArray.concat(a, [b, c], [d], ...z)

Append items or arrays of items to an array.

append single items

returns a new array composed of all the arguments

and/or arrays

Concat

Dog Park

includes

Are you "with it"

isInArray = someArray.includes(value)

returns true if the item exists in the array, false otherwise

Looks for the existence of a particular element in an array.

the particular value to look for

Includes

Fornever Alone

Find

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil

foundItem = someArray.find((item, index, array) =>
  
  some_condition ? true : false

return whether the item meets the condition we care about

Returns the first element to match the given condition

where have we seen this signature before?

returns the first item found, or null if no items match.

Find

I finally found what I'm Looking For

Filter

Hey Man, Nice Shot

newArray = someArray
  .filter((item, index, arr ) => true || false)

return `true` to include in the new array

`filter` an array to only those items that match a given condition.

`false` ta-not-to

Filter

Put it on repeat

forEach

Don't even bother with for loops

someArray.forEach(( item, index, arr ) => {

    //do stuff;

    return item; //Nope!

});

A function executed for every element in the array

The function takes three arguments:

  1. the current item
  2. the index of that item
  3. the whole array

forEach ignores any return values.

The itterables of the array are fixed at execution of the forEach

ForEach

Ah, skip it.

Map

Map it like you're Ptolemy 

newArray = someArray.map(( item, index, arr ) => {

    //do stuff;

    return item; //Huzzah!

});

return the item that will be mapped to the new array

The `map` method creates a new array. Each item in the new array is derived from the corresponding item in the original array. 

MAP

a -> b

Reduce

out of many, one.

value = someArray.reduce((incoming, current ) => {

    return outgoing;

}, optionalInitialValue);

return the value that will used as the first argument in the next iteration.

Take an array and `reduce` it to a single value.

An optional initial value can be passed into the reduce function as the incoming argument to the iterator function. If not included, the first element is used.

The return value from the previous iteration

The current item in the iteration

Reduce

array -> number

Reduce

array -> object

Reduce

Remake me

Armed with these tools, you are now prepared to enter the world of Functional Programing.

dataIn => dataOut

Pure Functions

Arrays: Part 1

By Cory Brown

Arrays: Part 1

Arrays in JavaScript are incredibly powerful. Almost any data structure can be emulated by a JavaScript Array. We'll look at some of the really great things you can do with an Array.

  • 1,605

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