Changing an array in javascript affect copies of the array, why?

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An array in JavaScript is also an object and variables only hold a reference to an object, not the object itself. Thus both variables have a reference to the same object.
but why?

What I have tried:

JavaScript

var func= new function () {
         var A = [20, 30, 25, 5, 3, 2];
         var B = A;

         for (var i = 0; i <= A.length - 1; i++) {
             if (A[i] > A[i+1]) {
                 var tmp = A[i];
                 A[i] = A[i + 1];
                 A[i + 1] = tmp;
             }
         }

             var big = A[A.length-1];
             var index = 0;

             for (var j = 0; j <= B.length-1; j++) {
                 if (big == B[j])
                 {
                     index = j;
                     break;
                 }
             }
             console.log(A);
             console.log(B);
             return (index);
     };

Posted 28-Dec-16 22:20pm

Selim Reza CSE KUET

Updated 10-Feb-23 1:07am

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3 solutions

Solution 2

Because so the language works. The alternative would be to copy the other object on assignment, for example, after

var B = A;

B would reference a copy of (the object referenced by) A and the two objects would have been independent (this is how, for instance structs behave in C/C++ programming languages).

Please note, such alternative would be 'expensive' and you may always obtain the same result by explicitely copying the object (in your case the array).

Posted 28-Dec-16 22:33pm

CPallini

Solution 3

you may use spread operator ... B=[...A]. it will not affect the A values

Posted 10-Feb-23 1:07am

Member 15920147

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OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-28T22:30:00

Simple: it's the same array.

JavaScript

var A = [20, 30, 25, 5, 3, 2];
var B = A;

Creates A and "points" it at an array of values, then creates B and copies the "pointer" from A to B, so they both refer to the same locations in memory. Hence, any change to the data via A will also change the data if you access it via B
To get a copy of the array data, use the slice[^] function:

JavaScript

var A = [20, 30, 25, 5, 3, 2];
var B = A.slice();

Changing an array in javascript affect copies of the array, why?

3 solutions

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

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