---
title: Array.prototype.slice()
short-title: slice()
slug: Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/slice
page-type: javascript-instance-method
browser-compat: javascript.builtins.Array.slice
sidebar: jsref
---

The **`slice()`** method of {{jsxref("Array")}} instances returns a [shallow copy](/en-US/docs/Glossary/Shallow_copy) of a portion of
an array into a new array object selected from `start` to `end`
(`end` not included) where `start` and `end` represent
the index of items in that array. The original array will not be modified.

{{InteractiveExample("JavaScript Demo: Array.prototype.slice()", "taller")}}

```js interactive-example
const animals = ["ant", "bison", "camel", "duck", "elephant"];

console.log(animals.slice(2));
// Expected output: Array ["camel", "duck", "elephant"]

console.log(animals.slice(2, 4));
// Expected output: Array ["camel", "duck"]

console.log(animals.slice(1, 5));
// Expected output: Array ["bison", "camel", "duck", "elephant"]

console.log(animals.slice(-2));
// Expected output: Array ["duck", "elephant"]

console.log(animals.slice(2, -1));
// Expected output: Array ["camel", "duck"]

console.log(animals.slice());
// Expected output: Array ["ant", "bison", "camel", "duck", "elephant"]
```

## Syntax

```js-nolint
slice()
slice(start)
slice(start, end)
```

### Parameters

- `start` {{optional_inline}}
  - : Zero-based index at which to start extraction, [converted to an integer](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Number#integer_conversion).
    - Negative index counts back from the end of the array — if `-array.length <= start < 0`, `start + array.length` is used.
    - If `start < -array.length` or `start` is omitted, `0` is used.
    - If `start >= array.length`, an empty array is returned.
- `end` {{optional_inline}}
  - : Zero-based index at which to end extraction, [converted to an integer](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Number#integer_conversion). `slice()` extracts up to but not including `end`.
    - Negative index counts back from the end of the array — if `-array.length <= end < 0`, `end + array.length` is used.
    - If `end < -array.length`, `0` is used.
    - If `end >= array.length` or `end` is omitted or `undefined`, `array.length` is used, causing all elements until the end to be extracted.
    - If `end` implies a position before or at the position that `start` implies, an empty array is returned.

### Return value

A new array containing the extracted elements.

## Description

The `slice()` method is a [copying method](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array#copying_methods_and_mutating_methods). It does not alter `this` but instead returns a [shallow copy](/en-US/docs/Glossary/Shallow_copy) that contains some of the same elements as the ones from the original array.

The `slice()` method preserves empty slots. If the sliced portion is [sparse](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Indexed_collections#sparse_arrays), the returned array is sparse as well.

The `slice()` method is [generic](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array#generic_array_methods). It only expects the `this` value to have a `length` property and integer-keyed properties.

## Examples

### Return a portion of an existing array

```js
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Lemon", "Apple", "Mango"];
const citrus = fruits.slice(1, 3);

// fruits contains ['Banana', 'Orange', 'Lemon', 'Apple', 'Mango']
// citrus contains ['Orange','Lemon']
```

In this example, `slice(1, 3)` extracts elements from index `1` up to, but not including, index `3`, resulting in a new array `['Orange', 'Lemon']`.

### Omitting the end parameter

```js
const fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Orange", "Mango", "Pineapple"];

const tropical = fruits.slice(2);
console.log(tropical); // ['Orange', 'Mango', 'Pineapple']
```

In this example, `slice(2)` extracts elements from index `2` to the end of the array.

### Using negative indices

```js
const fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Orange", "Mango", "Pineapple"];

const lastTwo = fruits.slice(-2);
console.log(lastTwo); // ['Mango', 'Pineapple']
```

In this example, `slice(-2)` extracts the last two elements of the array. When using a negative index with the `slice` method, negative indices are counted from the end of the array, starting at `-1` for the last element, `-2` for the second-to-last element, and so on. The negative index `-2` itself is included because it is the starting point of the extraction.

```plain
|     |     |     |     |     |
|  S  |  L  |  I  |  C  |  E  |
|     |     |     |     |     |
  -5    -4    -3    -2    -1

<--- read from reverse
```

### Using a positive start index and a negative end index

```js
const fruits = ["Apple", "Banana", "Orange", "Mango", "Pineapple"];

// Using positive start index and negative end index
const sliceExample = fruits.slice(1, -1);
console.log(sliceExample); // ['Banana', 'Orange', 'Mango']
```

In this example, `slice(1, -1)` starts extracting from index `1` and goes up to, but does not include, the element at index `-1` (which is the last element). This results in a new array with `['Banana', 'Orange', 'Mango']`. The `slice` method always excludes the element at the final index specified, regardless of whether it is positive or negative.

```plain
read from start --->

   0     1     2     3     4
|     |     |     |     |     |
|  S  |  L  |  I  |  C  |  E  |
|     |     |     |     |     |
  -5    -4    -3    -2    -1

<--- read from reverse
```

### Using slice with arrays of objects

In the following example, `slice` creates a new array, `newCar`,
from `myCar`. Both include a reference to the object `myHonda`.
When the color of `myHonda` is changed to purple, both arrays reflect the
change.

```js
// Using slice, create newCar from myCar.
const myHonda = {
  color: "red",
  wheels: 4,
  engine: { cylinders: 4, size: 2.2 },
};
const myCar = [myHonda, 2, "cherry condition", "purchased 1997"];
const newCar = myCar.slice(0, 2);

console.log("myCar =", myCar);
console.log("newCar =", newCar);
console.log("myCar[0].color =", myCar[0].color);
console.log("newCar[0].color =", newCar[0].color);

// Change the color of myHonda.
myHonda.color = "purple";
console.log("The new color of my Honda is", myHonda.color);

console.log("myCar[0].color =", myCar[0].color);
console.log("newCar[0].color =", newCar[0].color);
```

This script writes:

```plain
myCar = [
  { color: 'red', wheels: 4, engine: { cylinders: 4, size: 2.2 } },
  2,
  'cherry condition',
  'purchased 1997'
]
newCar = [ { color: 'red', wheels: 4, engine: { cylinders: 4, size: 2.2 } }, 2 ]
myCar[0].color = red
newCar[0].color = red
The new color of my Honda is purple
myCar[0].color = purple
newCar[0].color = purple
```

### Calling slice() on non-array objects

The `slice()` method reads the `length` property of `this`. It then reads the integer-keyed properties from `start` to `end` and defines them on a newly created array.

```js
const arrayLike = {
  length: 3,
  0: 2,
  1: 3,
  2: 4,
  3: 33, // ignored by slice() since length is 3
};
console.log(Array.prototype.slice.call(arrayLike, 1, 3));
// [ 3, 4 ]
```

### Using slice() to convert array-like objects to arrays

The `slice()` method is often used with {{jsxref("Function/bind", "bind()")}} and {{jsxref("Function/call", "call()")}} to create a utility method that converts an array-like object into an array.

```js
// slice() is called with `this` passed as the first argument
const slice = Function.prototype.call.bind(Array.prototype.slice);

function list() {
  return slice(arguments);
}

const listResult = list(1, 2, 3); // [1, 2, 3]
```

### Using slice() on sparse arrays

The array returned from `slice()` may be sparse if the source is sparse.

```js
console.log([1, 2, , 4, 5].slice(1, 4)); // [2, empty, 4]
```

## Specifications

{{Specifications}}

## Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

## See also

- [Polyfill of `Array.prototype.slice` in `core-js`](https://github.com/zloirock/core-js#ecmascript-array)
- [es-shims polyfill of `Array.prototype.slice`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/array.prototype.slice)
- [Indexed collections](/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Indexed_collections) guide
- {{jsxref("Array")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.prototype.pop()")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.prototype.shift()")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.prototype.concat()")}}
- {{jsxref("Array.prototype.splice()")}}
- {{jsxref("TypedArray.prototype.slice()")}}
- {{jsxref("String.prototype.slice()")}}