JS nested array: How to display first array in console?

Question

I have this nested arrays.

var contacts = [
 {
 "firstName": "Akira",
 "lastName": "Laine",
 "number": "0543236543",
 "likes": ["Pizza", "Coding", "Brownie Points"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Harry",
 "lastName": "Potter",
 "number": "0994372684",
 "likes": ["Hogwarts", "Magic", "Hagrid"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Sherlock",
 "lastName": "Holmes",
 "number": "0487345643",
 "likes": ["Intriguing Cases", "Violin"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Kristian",
 "lastName": "Vos",
 "number": "unknown",
 "likes": ["JavaScript", "Gaming", "Foxes"]
 }
];

I know how to access a property within an array like this:

contacts[0][firstName]

to get "Akira". But I wanted to display the first array within the nested arrays. How do I do this? If I just type in console.log(contacts[0]); I get [object Object].

I heard about JSON.parse(). Is it the correct way to display the first array within the nested arrays or any other array too?

• Kristina Bressler: No, I wanted to see in console the first array
• user2864740: There is no JSON there, so no need for JSON.parse. Different browsers will show different output for console.log (the link shows how to 'log objects' as well), so consider console.dir for diagnostic display of objects instead.
• Bosco: Possible duplicate of How to print object array in JavaScript?

Answer 1

I think you need a JSON.stringify() instead of JSON.parse().

var contacts = [{
 "firstName": "Akira",
 "lastName": "Laine",
 "number": "0543236543",
 "likes": ["Pizza", "Coding", "Brownie Points"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Harry",
 "lastName": "Potter",
 "number": "0994372684",
 "likes": ["Hogwarts", "Magic", "Hagrid"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Sherlock",
 "lastName": "Holmes",
 "number": "0487345643",
 "likes": ["Intriguing Cases", "Violin"]
 },
 {
 "firstName": "Kristian",
 "lastName": "Vos",
 "number": "unknown",
 "likes": ["JavaScript", "Gaming", "Foxes"]
 }
];
console.log(JSON.stringify(contacts[0], null, ' '));

Answer 2

If, on your data structure, likes is always an array, you can access it this way: contacts[0].likes

console logging it: console.log(contacts[0].likes).

You can also access every array by looping through the object:

contacts.forEach(contact => {
 console.log(contact.likes)
})