Create copy of multi-dimensional array, not reference - JavaScript

This is also referred to as "deep copying", which I've found some articles on. Closest seems to be this one but it's for jQuery - I'm trying to do this without a library.

I've also seen, in two places, that it's possible to do something like:

arr2 = JSON.decode(JSON.encode(arr1));

But that's apparently inefficient. It's also possible to loop and copy each value individually, and recurs through all the arrays. That seems tiring and inefficient as well.

So what's the most efficient, non-library way to copy a JavaScript multi-dimensional array [[a],[b],[c]]? I am completely happy with a "non-IE" method if necessary.

Thanks!

Since it sounds like you're dealing with an Array of Arrays to some unknown level of depth, but you only need to deal with them at one level deep at any given time, then it's going to be simple and fast to use .slice().

var newArray = [];

for (var i = 0; i < currentArray.length; i++)
    newArray[i] = currentArray[i].slice();

Or using .map() instead of the for loop:

var newArray = currentArray.map(function(arr) {
    return arr.slice();
});

So this iterates the current Array, and builds a new Array of shallow copies of the nested Arrays. Then when you go to the next level of depth, you'd do the same thing.

Of course if there's a mixture of Arrays and other data, you'll want to test what it is before you slice.

I'm not sure how much better JSON.stringify and JSON.parse than encode and decode, but you could try:

JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(array));

Something else I found (although I'd modify it a little):

http://www.xenoveritas.org/blog/xeno/the-correct-way-to-clone-javascript-arrays

function deepCopy(obj) {
  if (typeof obj == 'object') {
    if (isArray(obj)) {
      var l = obj.length;
      var r = new Array(l);
      for (var i = 0; i < l; i++) {
        r[i] = deepCopy(obj[i]);
      }
      return r;
    } else {
      var r = {};
      r.prototype = obj.prototype;
      for (var k in obj) {
        r[k] = deepCopy(obj[k]);
      }
      return r;
    }
  }
  return obj;
}

As you asked for performance, I guess you also would go with a non-generic solution. To copy a multi-dimensional array with a known number of levels, you should go with the easiest solution, some nested for-loops. For your two-dimensional array, it simply would look like this:

var len = arr.length,
    copy = new Array(len); // boost in Safari
for (var i=0; i<len; ++i)
    copy[i] = arr[i].slice(0);

To extend to higher-dimensional arrays, either use recursion or nested for loops!

The native slice method is more efficient than a custom for loop, yet it does not create deep copies, so we can use it only at the lowest level.

Any recursive algorithm that doesn't visit the same node twice will be about as efficient as you get with javascript (at least in a browser) - in certain situations in other languages you might get away with copying chucks of memory, but javascript obviously doesn't have that ability.

I'd suggest finding someone who's already done it and using their implementation to make sure you get it right - it only needs to be defined once.