JavaScript Typed Arrays
JavaScript Typed Arrays
JavaScript Typed Arrays provide a way to handle binary data efficiently. Unlike normal arrays, typed arrays store fixed-size, homogeneous data (all elements of the same type) and are commonly used in graphics, WebGL, and performance-critical tasks.
Why Typed Arrays?
Regular arrays can hold any type (numbers, strings, objects), which is flexible but slower.
Typed arrays are faster because they store data in contiguous memory with a fixed type.
Types of Typed Arrays
| Typed Array | Description |
|---|---|
Int8Array | 8-bit signed integers |
Uint8Array | 8-bit unsigned integers |
Uint8ClampedArray | 8-bit unsigned integers, clamped to 0–255 |
Int16Array | 16-bit signed integers |
Uint16Array | 16-bit unsigned integers |
Int32Array | 32-bit signed integers |
Uint32Array | 32-bit unsigned integers |
Float32Array | 32-bit floating-point numbers |
Float64Array | 64-bit floating-point numbers |
Creating Typed Arrays
From a length:
From an array:
Accessing and Modifying Elements
Typed Array Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
length | Number of elements |
buffer | ArrayBuffer representing the raw binary data |
BYTES_PER_ELEMENT | Size in bytes of each element |
Iterating Typed Arrays
Converting Typed Array to Regular Array
Practical Uses
Graphics and WebGL programming
Handling binary files
Efficient numeric computations
Audio and video processing
Summary Table
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Fixed size | Length cannot be changed after creation |
| Homogeneous | All elements same type |
| Fast | Stored in contiguous memory |
| Common types | Int8Array, Uint8Array, Float32Array, etc. |
| Use cases | Graphics, binary data, performance-critical tasks |
