JavaScript: The Good Parts

Phony Arrays

JavaScript does not have real arrays. That isn't all bad. JavaScript's arrays are really easy to use. There is no need to give them a dimension, and they never generate out-of-bounds errors. But their performance can be considerably worse than real arrays.

The typeof operator does not distinguish between arrays and objects. To determine that a value is an array, you also need to consult its constructor property:

if (Object.prototype.toString.apply(my_value) === '[object Array]'){
   // my_value is truly an array!
}

That test will give a false negative if an array was created in a different frame or window. This test is more reliable when the value might have been created in another frame:

if (my_value && typeof my_value === 'object' &&
        typeof my_value.length === 'number' &&
        !(my_value.propertyIsEnumerable('length')) {
    // my_value is truly an array!
}

The arguments array is not an array; it is an object with a length member. These tests will not identify the arguments array as an array.