Matrices in JavaScript:
A Multi-dimensional array is an array with more than one level or dimension, it is commonly used to store data for mathematic computations, image processing, and record management.
For example, a normal chess board has 8 rows and 8 columns which can be easily represented using a multi-dimensional array with size 8 by 8 (8 rows, each with the capacity to store 8 elements).
However, JavaScript does not support multidimensional arrays .
Some programming languages like C# and Java let you declare multi-dimensional arrays. But not JavaScript; In JavaScript you have to build them!
Having to build them helps us understand how they really work.
We will be focusing on two-dimensional Arrays in this blog.
Definition Matrices in JavaScript
A two-dimensional array is a collection of items that are organized as a matrix of rows and columns.
If we look closely we can see that the first row of letters is just a normal JS Array, firstRow = [a,b,c]. The second and third rows are two one-dimensional arrays as well!
secRow = [d,e,f]
thirdRow = [g,h,i]
We can think of the columns the same way;
firstColumn = [a,d,g]
and so on…
To put it simply, we can create a matrix by having a one-dimensional Array, where each entry is another one-dimensional Array!
It’s just an Array of Arrays! … Matrices in JavaScript!
Just as we need indices to reference items of a one-dimensional Array, the same applies for two-dimensional Arrays.
For instance we can access the letter “a” by either specifying firstRow[0] or firstColumn[0].
Bascially, if we want to reference an item from a 2D Array, it goes as follows:
arrayName[rowIndex][columnIndex].
Let’s code it and see how it works!
We can access elements of the matrix by using nested loops,
The key is to remember, arrayName[rowIndex][columnIndex].
Conclusion
Arrays can contain other arrays as entries. And accessing them is quite straightforward. We simply start by finding the position at the top level and then go down one level at a time. Multidimensional arrays are a common way to store tabular data in JavaScript. So this can be quite useful for various purposes.
Now let us know what did you know about Matrices in JavaScript?