JavaScript: Map Object Tutorial

New in JS2015.

• Map objects are collections of key/value pairs. Each pair is called a “entry”.
• Key can be any Value Types.
• Value can be any value types.
• Keys are always distinct.
• The insertion order of entries are maintained.

The map object is designed to be used as a map data structure (similar to Python Dictionary or Ruby Hash Table or Java Map. ).

Create Map

new Map()

Create a empty map.

new Map(iterable)

Create a map from values in iterable object iterable.

[see Iterable]

const m = new Map();

// add new item
m.set(1, "n1");
m.set(2, "n2");

console.log(m) // Map { 1 => 'n1', 2 => 'n2' }

There's no literal expression for map. But you can pass in a literal expression of array of array, like this:

new Map([ [key1, val1], [key2, val2] …])

const m = new Map([ [3, "n3"], [4, "n4"]]);

console.log(m) // Map { 3 => 'n3', 4 => 'n4' }

Note: the map constructor (new Map()) does not accept a object datatype.

[see Map Constructor]

[see Convert Object to/from Map]

Parent of Map Objects

The parent of any map object is Map.prototype.

[see Prototype and Inheritance]

[see Map.prototype]

Set/Add Entry

map_obj.set(key, val)

[see Map.prototype.set]

Delete Entry

map_obj.delete(key)

[see Map.prototype.delete]

Check Key Existence

map_obj.has(key)

[see Map.prototype.has]

Get Key's Value

map_obj.get(key)

[see Map.prototype.get]

Size of Map

map_obj.size

[see Map.prototype.size]

Clear Map

Map.prototype.clear

Iterate Map

Iterate Over Map Object

Get All Keys

Map.prototype.keys

Get All Values

Map.prototype.values

Nested Map

 const nestedMap = new Map([
    ["tall",
     new Map([
         ["old", new Map([["John",59751],["Mary",68534]])],
         ["young", new Map([["Joe",37235],["Smith",34426]])]
     ])
    ],
    ["short",
     new Map([
         ["old", new Map([["Jane",22328],["Connie",28459]])],
         ["young", new Map([["Jenny",67962],["David",69887]])]
     ])
    ]]);

console.log( nestedMap.get("tall").get("old").get("Mary") ); // 68534

Add Arbitrary Properties to Map

Because map is a object, you can add object properties to it, but you shouldn't do it.

const m = new Map([[3, "n3"], [4, "n4"], [5, "n5"] ]);

// you can add arbitrary properties to a map object
m.pp = 22;
console.log(m.pp) // 22

console.log(Object.getOwnPropertyNames(m)); // [ 'pp' ]