What is the Difference Between Pop and Slice in Javascript

If you’re new to JavaScript and working with arrays, you might have come across the pop() and slice() methods. Both of these methods are used to manipulate arrays, but they have different functionalities. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss the differences between pop() and slice() in JavaScript.

Pop Method

The pop() method is used to remove the last element from an array and return the removed element. This method modifies the original array, reducing its length by one. Here’s an example:

const fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'orange', 'mango'];

const lastFruit = fruits.pop();

console.log(lastFruit); // Output: 'mango'
console.log(fruits); // Output: ['apple', 'banana', 'orange']

As you can see, pop() removed the last element ‘mango’ from the fruits array and returned it. The fruits array now has a length of three.

Slice Method

The slice() method is used to create a new array that contains a portion of the original array. This method does not modify the original array. The portion of the array that is returned is specified by the starting and ending index values. Here’s an example:

const fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'orange', 'mango'];

const citrusFruits = fruits.slice(1, 3);

console.log(citrusFruits); // Output: ['banana', 'orange']
console.log(fruits); // Output: ['apple', 'banana', 'orange', 'mango']

In this example, slice() returned a new array citrusFruits containing the elements ‘banana’ and ‘orange’ from the fruits array. The starting index value 1 is inclusive, while the ending index value 3 is exclusive.

Key Differences

• pop() modifies the original array and removes the last element, while slice() creates a new array without modifying the original array.
• pop() returns the removed element, while slice() returns a new array containing a portion of the original array.
• pop() removes one element at a time, while slice() can return multiple elements at once.
• pop() can be used when you need to remove the last element of an array, while slice() is used when you need to create a new array that contains a portion of the original array.

In conclusion, pop() and slice() are both useful methods when working with arrays in JavaScript, but they have different functionalities. It’s important to understand the differences between the two methods and use them accordingly.

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