How do you check if a variable is an array in JavaScript? [duplicate]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/767486/how-do-you-check-if-a-variable-is-an-array-in-javascript

There are several ways of checking if an variable is an array or not. The best solution is the one you have chosen.

variable.constructor === Array

This is the fastest method on Chrome, and most likely all other browsers. All arrays are objects, so checking the constructor property is a fast process for JavaScript engines.

If you are having issues with finding out if an objects property is an array, you must first check if the property is there.

variable.prop && variable.prop.constructor === Array

Some other ways are:

variable instanceof Array

This method runs about ~~1/3 the speed~~ as the first example. Still pretty solid, looks cleaner, if you're all about pretty code and not so much on performance. Note that checking for numbers does not work as variable instanceof Number always returns false. Update: instanceof now goes 2/3 the speed!

Array.isArray(variable)

This last one is, in my opinion the ugliest, and it is one of the slowest. Running about 1/5 the speed as the first example. Array.prototype, is actually an array. you can read more about it here https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/isArray

So yet another update

Object.prototype.toString.call(variable) === '[object Array]';

This guy is the slowest for trying to check for an Array. However, this is a one stop shop for any type you're looking for. However, since you're looking for an array, just use the fastest method above.

Also, I ran some test: http://jsperf.com/instanceof-array-vs-array-isarray/33 So have some fun and check it out.

Note: @EscapeNetscape has created another test as jsperf.com is down. http://jsben.ch/#/QgYAV I wanted to make sure the original link stay for whenever jsperf comes back online.