array-ify

What is array-ify?

The array-ify npm package is a utility that ensures a given value is returned as an array. If the value is already an array, it returns the value unchanged. If the value is not an array, it wraps the value in an array. This can be particularly useful for functions that need to handle inputs that could be either a single item or an array of items.

What are array-ify's main functionalities?

Convert single value to array

This feature takes a single value and converts it into an array containing that value. This is useful when you want to ensure that a variable is always an array, even if it starts as a single value.

const arrayify = require('array-ify');
const singleValue = 'hello';
const result = arrayify(singleValue);
console.log(result); // ['hello']

Return array unchanged

This feature checks if the input is already an array and returns it unchanged. This is useful for functions that need to handle both single values and arrays uniformly.

const arrayify = require('array-ify');
const arrayValue = ['hello', 'world'];
const result = arrayify(arrayValue);
console.log(result); // ['hello', 'world']

Handle null or undefined

This feature ensures that if the input is null or undefined, it returns an empty array. This is useful for avoiding errors when dealing with potentially null or undefined values.

const arrayify = require('array-ify');
const nullValue = null;
const result = arrayify(nullValue);
console.log(result); // []

Other packages similar to array-ify

arrify

The arrify package is similar to array-ify in that it converts a value to an array. If the value is already an array, it returns it unchanged. If the value is null or undefined, it returns an empty array. It is a lightweight and straightforward alternative to array-ify.

to-array

The to-array package converts an array-like object or a single value to an array. It is more versatile in handling array-like objects such as NodeList or arguments objects, making it a good alternative to array-ify for more complex use cases.

ensure-array

The ensure-array package ensures that the input is always returned as an array. It is similar to array-ify but also provides additional options for handling different types of inputs, making it a more flexible alternative.

README

Turn anything into an array

Install

$ npm install --save array-ify

Usage

var arrayify = require('array-ify');

arrayify('unicorn');
//=> ['unicorn']

arrayify(['unicorn']);
//=> ['unicorn']

arrayify(null);
//=> [null]

arrayify(undefined);
//=> [undefined]

Related

• arrify - Convert a value to an array

The difference that is this module does NOT turn null or undefined to an empty array.

License

MIT © Steve Mao