Strange behavior observed when converting Javascript array to object

Check out this code:

let example = [];
example.someData = "wow";
console.log(example); // output:  [ someData: 'wow' ]
console.log(JSON.stringify(example)); // output: []
console.log(example.someData); // output: wow
console.log(JSON.stringify(example)); // output: []

Can you explain why console.log(example) returns an object, while the following line

console.log(JSON.stringify(example))
returns an empty array?

Answer №1

As pointed out by @jonrsharpe, JSON cannot accurately represent an array with additional properties.

Nevertheless, if you find yourself needing to convert such an array into JSON and then back, you can employ the following technique:

let example = [4,5,6]

example.someProp = 'haha'

let jsonData = JSON.stringify(Object.assign({}, example))

console.log(jsonData)

let example2 = Object.assign([], JSON.parse(jsonData))

console.log(example2)

console.log(example2.someProp)

console.log(Array.isArray(example2))

console.log(example2.length)

Answer №2

let example = [];
example.someKey = "hello";
console.log(example); // result: []
console.log(JSON.stringify(example)); // result: []
console.log(example.someKey); // result: hello
console.log(JSON.stringify(example)); // result: []
The reason why you see someKey: 'hello' is because different developer tools interpret objects differently. In the SO snippet tool, as shown, the result is an empty array []. Here's why:

Arrays in JavaScript are actually objects with numeric keys. Since they are treated as objects, they can have properties like your someKey. Adding a property to an array does not add an element (which would require a numeric index). This explains why you may see [someKey: 'hello']. Some consoles use property names and values to display the object for debugging purposes. When you access test.someKey, it accesses only the specific property you requested.

When you use JSON.stringify, it only converts the array elements into the JSON string since you called it on the array itself. This is why you once again see an empty array [] after stringifying it.

Answer №3

Simply put, this excerpt from MDN provides insight into the topic at hand:

In JavaScript, arrays are not primitive data types but rather instances of the Array object.

An Array remains an Array. It is, and has always been, an Object as well. How a specific type of Object is converted to JSON typically relies on the toJSON() method of its prototype. However, in the case of the Array (as a built-in type), it is considered a special case with its default implementation. This default behavior does not include the length property of the Array in the resulting string output; instead, it uses the [...] format that you observe.

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