JavaScript at() method

last modified April 4, 2025

In this article we show how to access array elements using the at method in JavaScript.

Array element access

The at method takes an integer value and returns the item at that index. It allows positive and negative integers, where negative integers count back from the last item in the array.

This method provides a more readable alternative to bracket notation, especially for accessing elements from the end of an array. It was introduced in ES2022 to simplify common array access patterns.

The at method works similarly to bracket notation but with better handling of negative indices. It returns undefined if the index is out of bounds, just like bracket notation.

Basic at() example

The following example demonstrates the basic usage of the at method.

const fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry'];
console.log(fruits.at(0));   // First element
console.log(fruits.at(-1));  // Last element
console.log(fruits.at(5));   // Out of bounds

We create an array and access elements using positive and negative indices. The at method provides a clean way to access elements from both ends of the array.

$ node main.js
apple
cherry
undefined

Comparing at() with bracket notation

The at method provides similar functionality to bracket notation but with better readability for negative indices.

const colors = ['red', 'green', 'blue'];

// Using bracket notation
const last1 = colors[colors.length - 1];

// Using at()
const last2 = colors.at(-1);

console.log(last1);
console.log(last2);

We compare accessing the last element using both bracket notation and the at method. The at version is more concise and readable when working with elements at the end of arrays.

$ node main.js
blue
blue

Using at() with strings

The at method also works with strings, providing character access by position.

const message = "Hello World";
console.log(message.at(0));    // First character
console.log(message.at(-1));   // Last character
console.log(message.at(-3));   // Third from last

We use at to access characters in a string. The method works identically for strings as it does for arrays, supporting both positive and negative indices.

$ node main.js
H
d
r

at() with typed arrays

The at method is also available on typed arrays like Int8Array.

const intArray = new Int8Array([10, 20, 30, 40]);
console.log(intArray.at(1));   // Second element
console.log(intArray.at(-2));  // Third element

We demonstrate using at with a typed array. The method behaves consistently across different array-like objects in JavaScript, including typed arrays.

$ node main.js
20
30

Using at() in array methods

The at method can be used within other array methods for more expressive code.

const numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];

const lastTwo = numbers.slice(-2).map((_, i, arr) => 
    arr.at(i - 1) + arr.at(i)
);

console.log(lastTwo);

We use at within a map callback to access adjacent elements. This demonstrates how at can simplify array operations that require relative indexing.

$ node main.js
[ 7, 9 ]

Source

Array at() - language reference

In this article we have demonstrated how to use the at() method to access elements in JavaScript arrays and strings.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

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