Web/JavaScript/Reference/functions/rest parameters

The rest parameter syntax allows us to represent an indefinite number of arguments as an array.

The source for this interactive example is stored in a GitHub repository. If you'd like to contribute to the interactive examples project, please clone https://github.com/mdn/interactive-examples and send us a pull request.

Syntax

function f(a, b, ...theArgs) {
  // ...
}

Description

A function's last parameter can be prefixed with ... which will cause all remaining (user supplied) arguments to be placed within a "standard" JavaScript array.

Only the last parameter can be a "rest parameter".

function myFun(a,  b, ...manyMoreArgs) {
  console.log("a", a)
  console.log("b", b)
  console.log("manyMoreArgs", manyMoreArgs)
}

myFun("one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six")

// Console Output:
// a, one
// b, two
// manyMoreArgs, ["three", "four", "five", "six"]

Quick Reference:

• There can be only one ...restParam.    foo(...one, ...wrong, ...wrong)
• Rest parameter must be the last argument.    foo(...wrong, arg2, arg3)    foo(arg1, arg2, ...correct)
• Rest parameter can be destructured Arrays (for advanced users only :).    foo(arg1, ...[2,4,6])

Difference between rest parameters and the arguments object

There are three main differences between rest parameters and the arguments object:

• The arguments object is not a real array, while rest parameters are Array instances, meaning methods like sort, map, forEach or pop can be applied on it directly;
• The arguments object has additional functionality specific to itself (like the callee property).
• The ...restParam bundles all the extra parameters into a single array, therefore it does not contain any named argument defined before the ...restParam. Whereas the arguments object contains all of the parameters -- including all of the stuff in the ...restParam -- unbundled.

From arguments to an array

Rest parameters have been introduced to reduce the boilerplate code that was induced by the arguments

// Before rest parameters, "arguments" could be converted to a normal array using:

function f(a, b) {

  let normalArray = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments)
  // -- or --
  let normalArray = [].slice.call(arguments)
  // -- or --
  let normalArray = Array.from(arguments)

  let first = normalArray.shift()  // OK, gives the first argument
  let first = arguments.shift()    // ERROR (arguments is not a normal array)
}

// Now, you can easily gain access to a normal array using a rest parameter

function f(...args) {
  let normalArray = args
  let first = normalArray.shift() // OK, gives the first argument
}

Examples

Using rest parameters

In this example, the first argument is mapped to a and the second to b, so these named arguments are used as normal.

However, the third argument, manyMoreArgs, will be an array that contains the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th ... n^th — as many arguments that the user includes.

function myFun(a, b, ...manyMoreArgs) {
  console.log("a", a)
  console.log("b", b)
  console.log("manyMoreArgs", manyMoreArgs)
}

myFun("one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six")

// a, "one"
// b, "two"
// manyMoreArgs, ["three", "four", "five", "six"] <-- notice it's an array?

Below... even though there is just one value, the last argument still gets put into an array.

// using the same function definition from example above

myFun("one", "two", "three")

// a, "one"
// b, "two"
// manyMoreArgs, ["three"] <-- notice it's an array, even though there's just one value?

Below, the third argument isn't provided, but manyMoreArgs is still an array (albeit an empty one).

// using the same function definition from example above

myFun("one", "two")

// a, "one"
// b, "two"
// manyMoreArgs, [] <-- yip, still an array

Argument length

Since theArgs is an array, a count of its elements is given by the length property:

function fun1(...theArgs) {
  console.log(theArgs.length)
}

fun1()         // 0
fun1(5)        // 1
fun1(5, 6, 7)  // 3

Ordinary parameter and rest parameters

In the next example, a rest parameter is used to collect all parameters after the first into an array. Each one of them is then multiplied by the first parameter, and the array is returned:

function multiply(multiplier, ...theArgs) {
  return theArgs.map(element => {
    return multiplier * element
  })
}

let arr = multiply(2, 15, 25, 42)
console.log(arr)  // [30, 50, 84]

Rest param is a real array, arguments is not.

Array methods can be used on rest parameters, but not on the arguments object:

function sortRestArgs(...theArgs) {
  let sortedArgs = theArgs.sort()
  return sortedArgs
}

console.log(sortRestArgs(5, 3, 7, 1)) // 1, 3, 5, 7

function sortArguments() {
  let sortedArgs = arguments.sort()
  return sortedArgs  // this will never happen
}


console.log(sortArguments(5, 3, 7, 1))  
// throws a TypeError (arguments.sort is not a function)

To use Array methods on the arguments object, it must be converted to a real array first.

function sortArguments() {
  let args = Array.from(arguments)
  let sortedArgs = args.sort()
  return sortedArgs
}
console.log(sortArguments(5, 3, 7, 1))  // 1, 3, 5, 7

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript (ECMA-262)The definition of 'Function Definitions' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile						Server
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet	Node.js
Rest parameters	Chrome Full support 47	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 15	IE No support No	Opera Full support 34	Safari Full support 10	WebView Android Full support 47	Chrome Android Full support 47	Firefox Android Full support 15	Opera Android Full support 34	Safari iOS Full support 10	Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0	nodejs Full support 6.0.0 Full support 6.0.0 Full support 4.0.0 Disabled' Disabled' From version 4.0.0: this feature is behind the --harmony runtime flag.
Destructuring rest parameters	Chrome Full support 49	Edge Full support 79	Firefox Full support 52	IE No support No	Opera Full support 36	Safari Full support 10	WebView Android Full support 49	Chrome Android Full support 49	Firefox Android Full support 52	Opera Android Full support 36	Safari iOS Full support 10	Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0	nodejs Full support Yes

Legend

Full support  

Full support

No support  

No support

User must explicitly enable this feature.'

User must explicitly enable this feature.

See also

• Spread syntax (also ‘...’)
• Arguments object
• Array
• Functions
• Original proposal at ecmascript.org
• JavaScript arguments object and beyond
• Destructuring assignment

Rest parameters by Mozilla Contributors is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.5.