Getting a random value from a JavaScript array

Question

Consider:

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];    

How can I select a random value from this array using JavaScript?

Answer 1

It's a simple one-liner:

const randomElement = array[Math.floor(Math.random() * array.length)];

For example:

const months = ["January", "February", "March", "April", "May", "June", "July"];

const random = Math.floor(Math.random() * months.length);
console.log(random, months[random]);

Answer 2

If you've already got underscore or lodash included in your project you can use _.sample.

// will return one item randomly from the array
_.sample(['January', 'February', 'March']);

If you need to get more than one item randomly, you can pass that as a second argument in underscore:

// will return two items randomly from the array using underscore
_.sample(['January', 'February', 'March'], 2);

or use the _.sampleSize method in lodash:

// will return two items randomly from the array using lodash
_.sampleSize(['January', 'February', 'March'], 2);

Answer 3

You may consider defining a function on the Array prototype, in order to create a method [].sample() which returns a random element.

First, to define the prototype function, place this snippet in your code:

Array.prototype.sample = function(){
  return this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)];
}

Later, to sample a random element from the array, just call .sample():

[1,2,3,4].sample() //=> a random element

_{I'm releasing these code snippets into the public domain, under the terms of the CC0 1.0 license.}

Answer 4

~~ is much faster than Math.Floor(), so when it comes to performance optimization while producing output using UI elements, ~~ wins the game. MORE INFO

var rand = myArray[~~(Math.random() * myArray.length)];

But if you know that the array is going to have millions of elements then you might want to reconsider between Bitwise Operator and Math.Floor(), as bitwise operators behave weirdly with large numbers. See below example explained with the output.

var number = Math.floor(14444323231.2); // => 14444323231
var number = 14444323231.2 | 0; // => 1559421343

Answer 5

Say you want to choose a random item that is different from the last time (not really random, but still a common requirement)...

/**
 * Return a random element from an array that is
 * different than `last` (as long as the array has > 1 items). 
 * Return null if the array is empty.
*/
function getRandomDifferent(arr, last = undefined) {
  if (arr.length === 0) {
    return;
  } else if (arr.length === 1) {
    return arr[0];
  } else {
    let num = 0;
    do {
      num = Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length);
    } while (arr[num] === last);
    return arr[num];
  }
}

Implement like this:

const arr = [1,2,3];
const r1 = getRandomDifferent(arr);
const r2 = getRandomDifferent(arr, r1); // r2 is different than r1.

Answer 6

If you have fixed values (like a month name list) and want a one-line solution

var result = ['January', 'February', 'March'][Math.floor(Math.random() * 3)]

The second part of the array is an access operation as described in Why does [5,6,8,7][1,2] = 8 in JavaScript?

Answer 7

The shortest version:

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March']; 
var rand = myArray[(Math.random() * myArray.length) | 0]
console.log(rand)

Answer 8

If you want to write it on one line, like Pascual's solution, another solution would be to write it using ES6's find function (based on the fact, that the probability of randomly selecting one out of n items is 1/n):

var item = ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D'].find((_, i, ar) => Math.random() < 1 / (ar.length - i));
console.log(item);

Use that approach for testing purposes and if there is a good reason to not save the array in a seperate variable only. Otherwise the other answers (floor(random()*length and using a seperate function) are your way to go.

Answer 9

Faker.js has many utility functions for generating random test data. It is a good option in the context of a test suite:

const Faker = require('faker');
Faker.random.arrayElement(['January', 'February', 'March']);

As commenters have mentioned, you generally should not use this library in production code.

Answer 10

Editing Array prototype can be harmful. Here it is a simple function to do the job.

function getArrayRandomElement (arr) {
  if (arr && arr.length) {
    return arr[Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length)];
  }
  // The undefined will be returned if the empty array was passed
}

Usage:

// Example 1
var item = getArrayRandomElement(['January', 'February', 'March']);

// Example 2
var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];
var item = getArrayRandomElement(myArray);

Answer 11

Recursive, standalone function which can return any number of items (identical to lodash.sampleSize):

function getRandomElementsFromArray(array, numberOfRandomElementsToExtract = 1) {
    const elements = [];

    function getRandomElement(arr) {
        if (elements.length < numberOfRandomElementsToExtract) {
            const index = Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length)
            const element = arr.splice(index, 1)[0];

            elements.push(element)

            return getRandomElement(arr)
        } else {
            return elements
        }
    }

    return getRandomElement([...array])
}

Answer 12

This is similar to, but more general than, @Jacob Relkin's solution:

This is ES2015:

const randomChoice = arr => {
    const randIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length);
    return arr[randIndex];
};

The code works by selecting a random number between 0 and the length of the array, then returning the item at that index.

Answer 13

To get crypto-strong random item form array use

let rndItem = a=> a[rnd()*a.length|0];
let rnd = ()=> crypto.getRandomValues(new Uint32Array(1))[0]/2**32;

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];

console.log( rndItem(myArray) )

Answer 14

var item = myArray[Math.floor(Math.random()*myArray.length)];

or equivalent shorter version:

var item = myArray[(Math.random()*myArray.length)|0];

Sample code:

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];    
var item = myArray[(Math.random()*myArray.length)|0];
console.log('item:', item);

Answer 15

Simple Function :

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];
function random(array) {
     return array[Math.floor(Math.random() * array.length)]
}
random(myArray);

OR

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];
function random() {
     return myArray[Math.floor(Math.random() * myArray.length)]
}
random();

OR

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March'];
function random() {
     return myArray[Math.floor(Math.random() * myArray.length)]
}
random();

Answer 16

I've found a way around the top answer's complications, just by concatenating the variable rand to another variable that allows that number to be displayed inside the calling of myArray[];. By deleting the new array created and toying around with it's complications, I've come up with a working solution:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<p id="demo"></p>

<script>

var myArray = ['January', 'February', 'March', 'April', 'May'];    

var rand = Math.floor(Math.random() * myArray.length);

var concat = myArray[rand];

function random() {
   document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = (concat);
}
</script>

<button onClick="random();">
Working Random Array generator
</button>

</body>
</html>

Answer 17

static generateMonth() { 
const theDate = ['January', 'February', 'March']; 
const randomNumber = Math.floor(Math.random()*3);
return theDate[randomNumber];
};

You set a constant variable to the array, you then have another constant that chooses randomly between the three objects in the array and then the function simply returns the results.

Answer 18

Looking for a true one-liner I came to this:

['January', 'February', 'March'].reduce((a, c, i, o) => { return o[Math.floor(Math.random() * Math.floor(o.length))]; })

Answer 19

By adding a method on prototype of array you can get random values easly.

In this example you can get single or multiple random values from array.

You can run to test code by clicking snippet button.

Array.prototype.random = function(n){
  if(n&&n>1){
    const a = [];
    for(let i = 0;i<n;i++){
      a.push(this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)]);
    }
    return a;
  } else {
    return this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)];
  }
}

const mySampleArray =  ['a','b','c','d','e','f','g','h'];

mySampleArray.random(); // return any random value etc. 'a', 'b'
mySampleArray.random(3); //retun an array with random values etc: ['b','f','a'] , ['d','b','d']

alert(mySampleArray.random());
alert(mySampleArray.random(3));

Answer 20

Method 1:

• Use Math.random() function to get the random number between(0-1, 1 exclusive).
• Multiply it by the array length to get the numbers between(0-arrayLength).
• Use Math.floor() to get the index ranging from(0 to arrayLength-1).

const arr = ["foo","bar"];
const randomlyPickedString=arr[Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length)]; console.log(randomlyPickedString);

Method 2:

• The random(a, b) method is used to generates a number between(a to b, b exclusive).
• Taking the floor value to range the numbers from (1 to arrayLength).
• Subtract 1 to get the index ranging from(0 to arrayLength-1).

const arr = ["foo","bar"];
const randomlyPickedString=arr[Math.floor(random(1, 5))-1]; console.log(randomlyPickedString);

Answer 21

If you need to fetch a random item more than once, then, obviously you would use a function. One way is to make that function a method of the Array.prototype, but that will normally get you shouted down for tampering with built in prototypes.

However, you can add the method to the specific array itself:

var months = ['January', 'February', 'March'];
months.random = function() {
    return this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)];
};

That way you can use months.random() as often as you like without interfering with the generic Array.prototype.

As with any random function, you run the risk of getting the same value successively. If you don’t want that, you will need to track the previous value with another property:

months.random=function() {
    var random;
    while((random=this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)]) == this.previous);
    this.previous=random;
    return random;
};

Answer 22

In my opinion, better than messing around with prototypes , or declaring it just in time, I prefer exposing it to window:

window.choice = function() {
  if (!this.length || this.length == 0) return;
  if (this.length == 1) return this[0];
  return this[Math.floor(Math.random()*this.length)];
}

Now anywhere on your app you call it like:

var rand = window.choice.call(array)

This way you can still use for(x in array) loop properly

Answer 23

A generic way to get random element(s):

let some_array = ['Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May'];
let months = random_elems(some_array, 3);

console.log(months);

function random_elems(arr, count) {
  let len = arr.length;
  let lookup = {};
  let tmp = [];

  if (count > len)
    count = len;

  for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
    let index;
    do {
      index = ~~(Math.random() * len);
    } while (index in lookup);
    lookup[index] = null;
    tmp.push(arr[index]);
  }

  return tmp;
}

Answer 24

Here is an example of how to do it:

$scope.ctx.skills = data.result.skills;
    $scope.praiseTextArray = [
    "Hooray",
    "You\'re ready to move to a new skill", 
    "Yahoo! You completed a problem", 
    "You\'re doing great",  
    "You succeeded", 
    "That was a brave effort trying new problems", 
    "Your brain was working hard",
    "All your hard work is paying off",
    "Very nice job!, Let\'s see what you can do next",
    "Well done",
    "That was excellent work",
    "Awesome job",
    "You must feel good about doing such a great job",
    "Right on",
    "Great thinking",
    "Wonderful work",
    "You were right on top of that one",
    "Beautiful job",
    "Way to go",
    "Sensational effort"
  ];

  $scope.praiseTextWord = $scope.praiseTextArray[Math.floor(Math.random()*$scope.praiseTextArray.length)];

Answer 25

randojs makes this a little more simple and readable:

console.log( rando(['January', 'February', 'March']).value );

<script src="https://randojs.com/1.0.0.js"></script>

Answer 26

Create one random value and pass to array

Please try following code..

//For Search textbox random value
var myPlaceHolderArray = ['Hotels in New York...', 'Hotels in San Francisco...', 'Hotels Near Disney World...', 'Hotels in Atlanta...'];
var rand = Math.floor(Math.random() * myPlaceHolderArray.length);
var Placeholdervalue = myPlaceHolderArray[rand];

alert(Placeholdervalue);