How to Pass an Array From Java to JavaScript

Programmers need to know how to pass arrays between various computer languages. Here, our expert explains how to move one from Java to JavaScript.

Written by David Koff
Published on Mar. 09, 2023
Image: Shutterstock / Built In
Image: Shutterstock / Built In
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In programming, an array is one of the simplest ways to store and access a data set. As different programming languages handle arrays differently, it is sometimes necessary to understand how to move (or pass) those data from one language to another. 

Moving an array between different parts of a Java program requires passing the memory of the address to a new source. The address memory is the resource the next platform (or language) will use, allowing it to read the same content. In practical terms, this is the process by which a Java array can pass into JavaScript without having to add any new content.

Programmers can either use a separator or JSP to transfer a Java array to JavaScript. Coders must determine what arguments will appear in the program. This task can, occasionally, take a lot of time. Either approach allows a JavaScript array to work with the same details that appear in a Java array.

An array in JavaScript can have various values, but in Java, it can only use the same values. For example, a Java array might include values that are double or sequential. Practicing proper syntax when coding may also be necessary for cases where the array size changes since a Java array cannot change its size after someone defines its initial value.

2 Ways to Pass an Array From Java to JavaScript

  • Using a separator.
  • Using JSP

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How to Pass an Array Using a Separator

The first way to pass an array is to use a separator, which is a character that helps read a Java array and then transform it with the split()JavaScript function.

The join()connection then transforms the JavaScript array into a syntax that the Java side of the equation can understand. A string tokenizer class can then review the syntax and configure it to work on JavaScript.

Coders and programmers should be careful when calculating what content appears because JavaScript directly calls Java classes, the language’s highest-level organizing principle. As with all code, programmers should ensure they are using proper code syntax to best allow the JavaScript program to read the code. Errors in code can and will prevent scripts from executing correctly. 

Ensuring correct code syntax allows the original Java array address to become readable via JavaScript. Since the browser can now identify the content, it becomes possible for the work to move forward.

 

How to Pass an Array Using JSP

The second option for passing an array uses JSP, short for Java Server Pages. JSP is a system that requires a server that can host code and provide dynamic web content.

Using JSP to transfer an array allows programmers to define an initial array and link it to a string array. The system (or JSP) then determines the content being passed and can create the code required to help transfer the data from Java to JavaScript.

While on a JSP page, coders can use the toJSONString()call and apply the JSON text to that part. The JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a file format that uses standard text to store and transmit data like arrays. The method creates new code that the programmer can analyze as necessary. The data becomes serialized, storing data while writing and reading from memory.

 

Understanding the Argument for Passing the Array

No matter which method programmers use for passing their arrays, they’ll want to understand how their programs move the array forward. Java programs, for example, can include a thiskeyword that can help remove confusion between class attributes and parameters with the same name.

The next step is to use an apply() parameter surrounding what arguments or data must be met for the array to go through. The apply()content can include two different parameters. The first may be “null,” (an array placeholder that has no value assigned to it) and the second can include the details necessary for allowing the array to progress.

Here is a code example from the Mozilla Foundation of how an apply() parameter can be set up and used to determine which numbers from an array are the largest and the smallest:

const numbers = [5, 6, 2, 3, 7];

const max = Math.max.apply(null, numbers);

console.log(max);
// Expected output: 7

const min = Math.min.apply(null, numbers);

console.log(min);
// Expected output: 2

The apply() parameter will call a function that includes the arguments necessary for passing the content. The arguments must be clear enough to allow the program to move the data forward, allowing the content to move into a new array.

 

Passing an Array With No Arguments

There might be times when there are no arguments inside an array. In this situation, the spread syntax can be used to pass the array. Programmers can simply create a function using the spread syntax to complete any arguments that appear in the function, including those cases in which there are no arguments.

Video: YouTube

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Experiment With Passing Arrays

The goal of passing arrays from Java to JavaScript is to produce a final project that is readable and easy to understand. The content shouldn’t be overly complicated or hard to follow, but proper programming and syntax are necessary for providing a rational way for a browser or program to read data without risking crashing.

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