# How to check if a JavaScript value is an array?

> Learn how to determine if a JavaScript value is an array using the Array.isArray() static method, which returns true only for real arrays.

Author: [Flavio Copes](https://flaviocopes.com/about/) | Published: 2019-09-25 | Topics: [JavaScript](https://flaviocopes.com/tags/js/) | Canonical: https://flaviocopes.com/how-to-check-javascript-value-array/

Sometimes you got passed an object in a function, and you need to check if this is an array.

Maybe if it's an array you perform some operation, and if it's not an array you perform something else.

How can you determine if an object is an array?

Use the `isArray()` static method provided by the `Array` built-in object, introduced in ECMAScript 5:

```js
const list = [1, 2, 3]
Array.isArray(list) //true
```