How to extend an existing JavaScript array with another array, without creating a new array

Question

There doesn\'t seem to be a way to extend an existing JavaScript array with another array, i.e. to emulate Python\'s extend method.

I want to achieve th

Answer 1

You can create a polyfill for extend as I have below. It will add to the array; in-place and return itself, so that you can chain other methods.

if (Array.prototype.extend === undefined) {
  Array.prototype.extend = function(other) {
    this.push.apply(this, arguments.length > 1 ? arguments : other);
    return this;
  };
}

function print() {
  document.body.innerHTML += [].map.call(arguments, function(item) {
    return typeof item === 'object' ? JSON.stringify(item) : item;
  }).join(' ') + '\n';
}
document.body.innerHTML = '';

var a = [1, 2, 3];
var b = [4, 5, 6];

print('Concat');
print('(1)', a.concat(b));
print('(2)', a.concat(b));
print('(3)', a.concat(4, 5, 6));

print('\nExtend');
print('(1)', a.extend(b));
print('(2)', a.extend(b));
print('(3)', a.extend(4, 5, 6));

body {
  font-family: monospace;
  white-space: pre;
}