This is Java and JavaScript tips for same topic, removing list elements when iterating list.
In Java, we will use List as an example, as it is uncommon to remove element from an Array. In Javascript we will use Array as an example, as only Array is supported in JavaScript.
Introduction
To remove an element from a Java List, you will do
List someList = new ArrayList();
someList.add("two");
someList.add("one");
someList.add("three");
someList.remove(1); // to remove by index
someList.remove("one); // to remove by element value
System.out.println(someList);
To remove an element from a JavaScript Array, you will do
var someArray = ["two", "one", "three"];
someArray.splice(1, 1); // to remove by index
console.log(someArray);
What if you want to remove an element from a List or Array when you iterating the List, you want to remove it based on some conditions?
In Java, you may do
List someList = new ArrayList();
someList.add("two");
someList.add("one");
someList.add("three");
for(String item : someList) {
if(item.equals("one")) {
someList.remove(item); // #1
}
else if(item.equals("three")) {
someList.remove(item); // #2
}
}
Unfortunately, by doing this, you will get exception thrown.
By executing line #1, “one” is removed from someList, and next if you still continue the for loop, you will get exception as someList is modified, affecting the for loop execution.
The best way to remove item from a Java list is to use Iterator
List someList = new ArrayList();
someList.add("two");
someList.add("one");
someList.add("three");
Iterator it = someList.iterator();
while(it.hasNext()) {
String item = it.next();
if(item.equals("one")) {
it.remove();
}
else if(item.equals("three")) {
it.remove();
}
}
System.out.println("Latest someList: " + someList);
This is the safe way to remove items from List when you will still continue iterating over the someList.
In JavaScript, you may do
var someArray = ["two", "one", "three"];
for(var i = 0; i < someArray.length; i++) {
if(someArray[i] == "one") {
someArray.splice(i, 1); // #1
}
else if(someArray[i] == "three") {
someArray.splice(i, 1); // #2
}
}
Unfortunately, by doing this, you will get exception thrown.
By executing line #1, "one" is removed from someArray, and next if you still continue the for loop, you will get exception as someArray is modified, affecting the for loop execution.
The best way to remove item from a JavaScript array is to iterate the Array from last.
var someArray = ["two", "one", "three"];
for(var i = someArray.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
if(someArray[i] == "one") {
someArray.splice(i, 1); // #1
}
else if(someArray[i] == "three") {
someArray.splice(i, 1); // #2
}
}
This is the safe way to remove items from JavaScript Array.
Why this works? You may think same thing also applies to Java right? Yes you are right. How this works? Leave it for your back home reading.
