Mastering Iterators and Iterables in JavaScript: A Comprehensive Guide

Unlock the Power of the Iterable Protocol and Symbol.iterator

Max N
4 min readMar 29, 2024

In the world of JavaScript, the ability to iterate over data structures is a fundamental concept. Whether you’re working with arrays, strings, or custom objects, understanding how iterators and iterables work can greatly enhance your coding skills and open up a world of possibilities.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the Iterable protocol and the Symbol.iterator in JavaScript, providing you with a solid foundation and practical examples to help you master these powerful concepts.

What are Iterators and Iterables?

Iterators are objects that define a sequence and provide a way to access its elements one by one. They are responsible for managing the iteration process and keeping track of the current position within the sequence. On the other hand, iterables are objects that can be iterated over, such as arrays, strings, and custom objects that implement the Iterable protocol.

The Iterable Protocol

The Iterable protocol is a convention that allows objects to be iterated over using various iteration constructs, such as the for...of loop, the spread operator…

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Max N

A writer that writes about JavaScript and Python to beginners. If you find my articles helpful, feel free to follow.