Common iterables

Learn common iterables like arrays, strings, NodeList and Map.

Common iterables

Many built-in JavaScript data types are iterable. Arrays yield their elements, strings yield characters, Map yields [key, value] pairs, and Set yields its unique values. All of them carry a [Symbol.iterator] method.

In the browser, document.querySelectorAll returns a NodeList, which is also iterable. So you can traverse all matched elements with for...of. The arguments object is not iterable; in old code you use a rest parameter instead of looping it directly.

NodeList and strings in detail

When for...of runs over a string, each step gives you a single character; special characters also come as one piece. A NodeList yields DOM elements in order; it supports forEach but has no map or filter.

So to transform a NodeList, a common approach is to spread it into an array with [...nodes] and then use array methods. The spread operator also uses the iterator protocol under the hood.

Exercise Count letters in a string

Define a string called text (e.g. "hello"). Declare let count = 0. Loop over the characters of the string with for...of; on every "l" character do count++. Then log the result with console.log(count).

Show example solution

const text = "hello";
let count = 0;
for (const ch of text) {
  if (ch === "l") {
    count++;
  }
}
console.log(count);

Test yourself

Which can be traversed with for...of?
- A number variable
- The null value
- A Map object
- The true value
Show answer

A Map object — Correct. A Map is iterable; for...of yields [key, value] pairs.

for...of over a string

const word = "hello";
for (const ch ____ word) {
  console.log(ch);
}

Show answer

const word = "hello";
for (const ch of word) {
  console.log(ch);
}

Built-in iterables

Array

Yields elements
String

Yields characters
Map

[key, value] pairs
Set

Unique values

Next lesson: Summary - Iterators

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