How to Convert string to character array in Javascript

This example tutorial explains how to convert a string to an array of characters in JavaScript. You can check my other post on Javascript check substring exists in a String

#How to get a Character Array from a string javascript?

There are multiple ways we can do it.

• use the split function

The string has a split function used to split a string into an array of characters or substring with a delimiter Syntax: split(argument)

• The argument is a separator that is used to split into it.
• Returns an array of split elements.

let str = "cloud";
console.log(str.split(""));

Output

[
'c', 'l', 'o', 'u',
'd
]

It works perfectly for a string of alphanumeric characters, However, does not work with Unicode and emoji characters string.

let str = "welcome 😊";

console.log(str.split(""));

Output:

[
'w', 'e', 'l', 'c',
'o', 'm', 'e', ' ',
'�', '�'
]

The split() function is not safe to use for Unicode strings.

• use the ES6 spread operator

ES6 introduced spread operator, a new syntax to extract data and create a new variable.

let str = "welcome 😊";
let input = [...str];
console.log(input);

In the example, use the spread operator to extract all characters with [...variable]. Output:

[
  'w', 'e', 'l',
  'c', 'o', 'm',
  'e', ' ', '😊'
]

• use Array from function
• Array provides from the function, that takes a string and converts it to a character array.

let str = "welcome 😊";
console.log(Array.from(str));

• use the Object assign function

Object assign function copies a string character into a new array.

This is not safe for Unicode string characters.

let str = "welcome 😊";
var result = Object.assign([], str);
console.log(result);

Output:

[
  'w', 'e', 'l', 'c',
  'o', 'm', 'e', ' ',
  '�', '�'
]

• for of loop

It is another way of retrieving characters from a string and pushing the character to an array.

let str = "welcome 😊";
const result = [];
for (const character of str) {
  result.push(character);
}
console.log(result);

You can also use for index syntax to do it.

Iterate each element using for loop, and push an element to the newly created array.

let str = "welcome 😊";
const output = [];
for (let i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
  output.push(str[i]);
}
console.log(output);