best way to generate empty 2D array

Question

is there a shorter, better way to generate \'n\' length 2D array?

var a = (function(){ var i=9, arr=[]; while(i--) arr.push([]); return arr })();

a // [ [],         


        

Answer 1

var x = 3, y = 5, arr = Array(y).fill();
arr = arr.map(function(){return Array(x).fill(' ')});
console.log(arr);

Answer 2

best way to generate 2D array in js by ES6 by Array.from

function twodimension(input) {
  let index = 0,
    sqrt = Math.sqrt(input.length);

  return Array.from({
    length: sqrt
  }, (nothing, i) => Array.from({
    length: sqrt
  }, (nothingTwo, j) => input[index++]))
}

console.log(twodimension('abcdefghijklmnopqrstupwxy'))
console.log(twodimension([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]))

function input(length, fill) {
  let getNums = length * length;
  let fillNums = 1
  if (fill == 'minus') {
    return Array.from({
      length: length
    }, (nothing, i) => Array.from({
      length: length
    }, (nothingTwo, j) => getNums--))
  } else if (fill == 'plus') {
    return Array.from({
      length: length
    }, (nothing, i) => Array.from({
      length: length
    }, (nothingTwo, j) => fillNums++))
  }
  
  // you can dping snake ladders also with Array.from

  if (fill === 'snakes') {
    return Array.from({
        length: length
      }, (_, one) =>
      Array.from({
        length: length
      }, (_, two) => getNums--)
    ).map((el, i) =>
      i % 2 == 1 && length % 2 == 0 ? el.reverse() :
      i % 2 == 0 && length % 2 == 1 ? el.reverse() : el
    );
  }


}

console.log(input(8, 'minus'))
console.log(input(10, 'plus'))

console.log(input(5, 'snakes'))

you do anything with Array.from, it is easy to use and fast, this is the new method in ES6 syntax

Answer 3

In ES6:

(m, n, initialElementValue) => Array(m).fill(Array(n).fill(initialElementValue))

Answer 4

Another way:

for(var a = [];a.length < 10; a.push([])); // semicolon is mandatory here

Yet another way:

var a = []; while(a.push([]) < 10);

This works because .push() [docs] (specification) returns the new length of the array.

---

That said, this is the wrong way of "reducing code". Create a dedicated function with a meaningful name and use this one. Your code will be much more understandable:

function get2DArray(size) {
    size = size > 0 ? size : 0;
    var arr = [];

    while(size--) {
        arr.push([]);
    }

    return arr;
}

var a = get2DArray(9);

Code is read much more often than written.