UNB/ CS/ David Bremner/ teaching/ cs2613/ books/ mdn/ Reference/ Global Objects/ Array/ Array.prototype.findLast()

The findLast() method of Array instances iterates the array in reverse order and returns the value of the first element that satisfies the provided testing function. If no elements satisfy the testing function, undefined is returned.

If you need to find:

Syntax

findLast(callbackFn)
findLast(callbackFn, thisArg)

Parameters

Return value

The last (highest-index) element in the array that satisfies the provided testing function; undefined if no matching element is found.

Description

The findLast() method is an iterative method. It calls a provided callbackFn function once for each element in an array in descending-index order, until callbackFn returns a truthy value. findLast() then returns that element and stops iterating through the array. If callbackFn never returns a truthy value, findLast() returns undefined.

callbackFn is invoked for every index of the array, not just those with assigned values. Empty slots in sparse arrays behave the same as undefined.

findLast() does not mutate the array on which it is called, but the function provided as callbackFn can. Note, however, that the length of the array is saved before the first invocation of callbackFn. Therefore:

Warning: Concurrent modifications of the kind described above frequently lead to hard-to-understand code and are generally to be avoided (except in special cases).

The findLast() method is generic. It only expects the this value to have a length property and integer-keyed properties.

Examples

Find last object in an array matching on element properties

This example shows how you might create a test based on the properties of array elements.

const inventory = [
  { name: "apples", quantity: 2 },
  { name: "bananas", quantity: 0 },
  { name: "fish", quantity: 1 },
  { name: "cherries", quantity: 5 },
];

// return true inventory stock is low
function isNotEnough(item) {
  return item.quantity < 2;
}

console.log(inventory.findLast(isNotEnough));
// { name: "fish", quantity: 1 }

Using arrow function and destructuring

The previous example might be written using an arrow function and object destructuring:

const inventory = [
  { name: "apples", quantity: 2 },
  { name: "bananas", quantity: 0 },
  { name: "fish", quantity: 1 },
  { name: "cherries", quantity: 5 },
];

const result = inventory.findLast(({ quantity }) => quantity < 2);

console.log(result);
// { name: "fish", quantity: 1 }

Find the last prime number in an array

The following example returns the last element in the array that is a prime number, or undefined if there is no prime number.

function isPrime(element) {
  if (element % 2 === 0 || element < 2) {
    return false;
  }
  for (let factor = 3; factor <= Math.sqrt(element); factor += 2) {
    if (element % factor === 0) {
      return false;
    }
  }
  return true;
}

console.log([4, 6, 8, 12].findLast(isPrime)); // undefined, not found
console.log([4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12].findLast(isPrime)); // 11

Using findLast() on sparse arrays

Empty slots in sparse arrays are visited, and are treated the same as undefined.

// Declare array with no elements at indexes 2, 3, and 4
const array = [0, 1, , , , 5, 6];

// Shows all indexes, not just those with assigned values
array.findLast((value, index) => {
  console.log(`Visited index ${index} with value ${value}`);
});
// Visited index 6 with value 6
// Visited index 5 with value 5
// Visited index 4 with value undefined
// Visited index 3 with value undefined
// Visited index 2 with value undefined
// Visited index 1 with value 1
// Visited index 0 with value 0

// Shows all indexes, including deleted
array.findLast((value, index) => {
  // Delete element 5 on first iteration
  if (index === 6) {
    console.log(`Deleting array[5] with value ${array[5]}`);
    delete array[5];
  }
  // Element 5 is still visited even though deleted
  console.log(`Visited index ${index} with value ${value}`);
});
// Deleting array[5] with value 5
// Visited index 6 with value 6
// Visited index 5 with value undefined
// Visited index 4 with value undefined
// Visited index 3 with value undefined
// Visited index 2 with value undefined
// Visited index 1 with value 1
// Visited index 0 with value 0

Calling findLast() on non-array objects

The findLast() method reads the length property of this and then accesses each property whose key is a nonnegative integer less than length.

const arrayLike = {
  length: 3,
  0: 2,
  1: 7.3,
  2: 4,
  3: 3, // ignored by findLast() since length is 3
};
console.log(
  Array.prototype.findLast.call(arrayLike, (x) => Number.isInteger(x)),
); // 4

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also