Determine whether an array contains a value [dupli

Question

This question already has an answer here:

• How do I check if an array includes an object in JavaScript? 44 answers

I need to determine if a value exists in an array.

I am using the following function:

Array.prototype.contains = function(obj) {
    var i = this.length;
    while (i--) {
        if (this[i] == obj) {
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}

The above function always returns false.

The array values and the function call is as below:

arrValues = ["Sam","Great", "Sample", "High"]
alert(arrValues.contains("Sam"));

Answer 1

tl;dr

function includes(k) {
  for(var i=0; i < this.length; i++){
    if( this[i] === k || ( this[i] !== this[i] && k !== k ) ){
      return true;
    }
  }
  return false;
}

Example

function includes(k) {
  for(var i=0; i < this.length; i++){
    if( this[i] === k || ( this[i] !== this[i] && k !== k ) ){
      return true;
    }
  }
  return false;
}

function log(msg){
  $('#out').append('<div>' + msg + '</div>');  
}

var arr = [1, "2", NaN, true];
arr.includes = includes;

log('var arr = [1, "2", NaN, true];');
log('<br/>');
log('arr.includes(1): ' + arr.includes(1));
log('arr.includes(2): ' + arr.includes(2));
log('arr.includes("2"): ' + arr.includes("2"));
log('arr.includes(NaN): ' + arr.includes(NaN));
log('arr.includes(true): ' + arr.includes(true));
log('arr.includes(false): ' + arr.includes(false));

#out{
  font-family:monospace;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div id=out></div>

Longer Answer

I know this question isn't really about whether or not to extend built-in objects, but the attempt of the OP and the comments on this answer highlight that debate. My comment from Feb 12, '13 cites an article that outlines this debate really well, however that link broke and I can't edit the original comment because too much time has passed, so I include it here.

If you're looking to extend the built-in Array object with a contains method, probably the best and most responsible way to do this would be to use this polyfill from MDN. (See also this section of the MDN article on Prototypical inheritance, which explains that "The only good reason for extending a built-in prototype is to backport the features of newer JavaScript engines; for example Array.forEach, etc.")

if (!Array.prototype.includes) {
  Array.prototype.includes = function(searchElement /*, fromIndex*/ ) {
    'use strict';
    var O = Object(this);
    var len = parseInt(O.length) || 0;
    if (len === 0) {
      return false;
    }
    var n = parseInt(arguments[1]) || 0;
    var k;
    if (n >= 0) {
      k = n;
    } else {
      k = len + n;
      if (k < 0) {k = 0;}
    }
    var currentElement;
    while (k < len) {
      currentElement = O[k];
      if (searchElement === currentElement ||
         (searchElement !== searchElement && currentElement !== currentElement)) {
        return true;
      }
      k++;
    }
    return false;
  };
}

Don't want strict equality, or want to choose?

function includes(k, strict) {
  strict = strict !== false; // default is true
  // strict = !!strict; // default is false
  for(var i=0; i < this.length; i++){
    if( (this[i] === k && strict) || 
        (this[i] == k && !strict) ||
        (this[i] !== this[i] && k !== k)
    ) {
      return true;
    }
  }
  return false;
}

Answer 2

Since ECMAScript6, one can use Set:

var myArray = ['A', 'B', 'C'];
var mySet = new Set(myArray);
var hasB = mySet.has('B'); // true
var hasZ = mySet.has('Z'); // false

Answer 3

var contains = function(needle) {
    // Per spec, the way to identify NaN is that it is not equal to itself
    var findNaN = needle !== needle;
    var indexOf;

    if(!findNaN && typeof Array.prototype.indexOf === 'function') {
        indexOf = Array.prototype.indexOf;
    } else {
        indexOf = function(needle) {
            var i = -1, index = -1;

            for(i = 0; i < this.length; i++) {
                var item = this[i];

                if((findNaN && item !== item) || item === needle) {
                    index = i;
                    break;
                }
            }

            return index;
        };
    }

    return indexOf.call(this, needle) > -1;
};

You can use it like this:

var myArray = [0,1,2],
    needle = 1,
    index = contains.call(myArray, needle); // true

CodePen validation/usage

Answer 4

The simplest solution for a contains function, would be a function that looks like this :

var contains = function (haystack, needle) {
    return !!~haystack.indexOf(needle);
}

Ideally, you wouldn't make this a stand-alone function, though, but part of a helper library :

var helper = {};

helper.array = {
    contains : function (haystack, needle) {
        return !!~haystack.indexOf(needle);
    }, 
    ...
};

Now, if you happen to be one of those unlucky people who still needs to support IE<9 and thus can't rely on indexOf, you could use this polyfill, which I got from the MDN :

if (!Array.prototype.indexOf) {
  Array.prototype.indexOf = function(searchElement, fromIndex) {
    var k;
    if (this == null) {
      throw new TypeError('"this" is null or not defined');
    }
    var o = Object(this);
    var len = o.length >>> 0;
    if (len === 0) {
      return -1;
    }
    var n = +fromIndex || 0;

    if (Math.abs(n) === Infinity) {
      n = 0;
    }
    if (n >= len) {
      return -1;
    }
    k = Math.max(n >= 0 ? n : len - Math.abs(n), 0);
    while (k < len) {
      if (k in o && o[k] === searchElement) {
        return k;
      }
      k++;
    }
    return -1;
  };
}

Answer 5

jQuery has a utility function for this:

$.inArray(value, array)

Returns index of value in array. Returns -1 if array does not contain value.

See also How do I check if an array includes an object in JavaScript?

Answer 6

This is generally what the indexOf() method is for. You would say:

return arrValues.indexOf('Sam') > -1