Array.prototype.indexOf()

The indexOf() method returns the first index at which a given element can be found in the array, or -1 if it is not present.

Syntax

arr.indexOf(searchElement[, fromIndex])

Parameters

searchElement
Element to locate in the array.
fromIndex Optional
The index to start the search at. If the index is greater than or equal to the array's length, -1 is returned, which means the array will not be searched. If the provided index value is a negative number, it is taken as the offset from the end of the array. Note: if the provided index is negative, the array is still searched from front to back. If the provided index is 0, then the whole array will be searched. Default: 0 (entire array is searched).

Return value

The first index of the element in the array; -1 if not found.

Description

indexOf() compares searchElement to elements of the Array using strict equality (the same method used by the === or triple-equals operator).

Note: For the String method, see String.prototype.indexOf().

Polyfill

indexOf() was added to the ECMA-262 standard in the 5th edition; as such it may not be present in all browsers. You can work around this by utilizing the following code at the beginning of your scripts. This will allow you to use indexOf() when there is still no native support. This algorithm matches the one specified in ECMA-262, 5th edition, assuming TypeError and Math.abs() have their original values.

// This version tries to optimize by only checking for "in" when looking for undefined and
// skipping the definitely fruitless NaN search. Other parts are merely cosmetic conciseness.
// Whether it is actually faster remains to be seen.
if (!Array.prototype.indexOf)
  Array.prototype.indexOf = (function(Object, max, min) {
    "use strict"
    return function indexOf(member, fromIndex) {
      if (this === null || this === undefined)
        throw TypeError("Array.prototype.indexOf called on null or undefined")

      var that = Object(this), Len = that.length >>> 0, i = min(fromIndex | 0, Len)
      if (i < 0) i = max(0, Len + i)
      else if (i >= Len) return -1

      if (member === void 0) {        // undefined
        for (; i !== Len; ++i) if (that[i] === void 0 && i in that) return i
      } else if (member !== member) { // NaN
        return -1 // Since NaN !== NaN, it will never be found. Fast-path it.
      } else                          // all else
        for (; i !== Len; ++i) if (that[i] === member) return i

      return -1 // if the value was not found, then return -1
    }
  })(Object, Math.max, Math.min)

However, if you are more interested in all the little technical bits defined by the ECMA standard, and are less concerned about performance or conciseness, then you may find this more descriptive polyfill to be more useful.

// Production steps of ECMA-262, Edition 5, 15.4.4.14
// Reference: http://es5.github.io/#x15.4.4.14
if (!Array.prototype.indexOf) {
  Array.prototype.indexOf = function(searchElement, fromIndex) {
    "use strict";
    var k;

    // 1. Let o be the result of calling ToObject passing
    //    the this value as the argument.
    if (this == null) {
      throw new TypeError('"this" is null or not defined');
    }

    var o = Object(this);

    // 2. Let lenValue be the result of calling the Get
    //    internal method of o with the argument "length".
    // 3. Let len be ToUint32(lenValue).
    var len = o.length >>> 0;

    // 4. If len is 0, return -1.
    if (len === 0) {
      return -1;
    }

    // 5. If argument fromIndex was passed let n be
    //    ToInteger(fromIndex); else let n be 0.
    var n = fromIndex | 0;

    // 6. If n >= len, return -1.
    if (n >= len) {
      return -1;
    }

    // 7. If n >= 0, then Let k be n.
    // 8. Else, n<0, Let k be len - abs(n).
    //    If k is less than 0, then let k be 0.
    k = Math.max(n >= 0 ? n : len - Math.abs(n), 0);

    // 9. Repeat, while k < len
    for (; k < len; k++) {
      // a. Let Pk be ToString(k).
      //   This is implicit for LHS operands of the in operator
      // b. Let kPresent be the result of calling the
      //    HasProperty internal method of o with argument Pk.
      //   This step can be combined with c
      // c. If kPresent is true, then
      //    i.  Let elementK be the result of calling the Get
      //        internal method of o with the argument ToString(k).
      //   ii.  Let same be the result of applying the
      //        Strict Equality Comparison Algorithm to
      //        searchElement and elementK.
      //  iii.  If same is true, return k.
      if (k in o && o[k] === searchElement)
        return k;
    }
    return -1;
  };
}

Examples

Using indexOf()

The following example uses indexOf() to locate values in an array.

var array = [2, 9, 9];
array.indexOf(2);     // 0
array.indexOf(7);     // -1
array.indexOf(9, 2);  // 2
array.indexOf(2, -1); // -1
array.indexOf(2, -3); // 0

Finding all the occurrences of an element

var indices = [];
var array = ['a', 'b', 'a', 'c', 'a', 'd'];
var element = 'a';
var idx = array.indexOf(element);
while (idx != -1) {
  indices.push(idx);
  idx = array.indexOf(element, idx + 1);
}
console.log(indices);
// [0, 2, 4]

Finding if an element exists in the array or not and updating the array

function updateVegetablesCollection (veggies, veggie) {
    if (veggies.indexOf(veggie) === -1) {
        veggies.push(veggie);
        console.log('New veggies collection is : ' + veggies);
    } else if (veggies.indexOf(veggie) > -1) {
        console.log(veggie + ' already exists in the veggies collection.');
    }
}

var veggies = ['potato', 'tomato', 'chillies', 'green-pepper'];

updateVegetablesCollection(veggies, 'spinach');
// New veggies collection is : potato,tomato,chillies,green-pepper,spinach
updateVegetablesCollection(veggies, 'spinach');
// spinach already exists in the veggies collection.

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Array.prototype.indexOf' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobileServer
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung InternetNode.js
indexOfChrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1.5IE Full support 9Opera Full support 9.5Safari Full support 3WebView Android Full support ≤37Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 10.1Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0nodejs Full support 0.1.100

Legend

Full support
Full support

See also