Files
livedash-node/.github/skills/vercel-react-best-practices/rules/js-length-check-first.md
Kaj Kowalski 5bfd762e55 fix: comprehensive TypeScript/build fixes and modernization
- Update tsconfig to ES2024 target and bundler moduleResolution
- Add dynamic imports for chart.js and recharts (bundle optimization)
- Consolidate 17 useState into useReducer in sessions page
- Fix 18 .js extension imports across lib files
- Add type declarations for @rapideditor/country-coder
- Fix platform user types (PlatformUserRole enum)
- Fix Calendar component prop types
- Centralize next-auth type augmentation
- Add force-dynamic to all API routes (prevent build-time prerender)
- Fix Prisma JSON null handling with Prisma.DbNull
- Fix various type mismatches (SessionMessage, ImportRecord, etc.)
- Export ButtonProps from button component
- Update next-themes import path
- Replace JSX.Element with React.ReactElement
- Remove obsolete debug scripts and pnpm lockfile
- Downgrade eslint to v8 for next compatibility
2026-01-20 07:28:10 +01:00

1.7 KiB

title, impact, impactDescription, tags
title impact impactDescription tags
Early Length Check for Array Comparisons MEDIUM-HIGH avoids expensive operations when lengths differ javascript, arrays, performance, optimization, comparison

Early Length Check for Array Comparisons

When comparing arrays with expensive operations (sorting, deep equality, serialization), check lengths first. If lengths differ, the arrays cannot be equal.

In real-world applications, this optimization is especially valuable when the comparison runs in hot paths (event handlers, render loops).

Incorrect (always runs expensive comparison):

function hasChanges(current: string[], original: string[]) {
  // Always sorts and joins, even when lengths differ
  return current.sort().join() !== original.sort().join()
}

Two O(n log n) sorts run even when current.length is 5 and original.length is 100. There is also overhead of joining the arrays and comparing the strings.

Correct (O(1) length check first):

function hasChanges(current: string[], original: string[]) {
  // Early return if lengths differ
  if (current.length !== original.length) {
    return true
  }
  // Only sort when lengths match
  const currentSorted = current.toSorted()
  const originalSorted = original.toSorted()
  for (let i = 0; i < currentSorted.length; i++) {
    if (currentSorted[i] !== originalSorted[i]) {
      return true
    }
  }
  return false
}

This new approach is more efficient because:

  • It avoids the overhead of sorting and joining the arrays when lengths differ
  • It avoids consuming memory for the joined strings (especially important for large arrays)
  • It avoids mutating the original arrays
  • It returns early when a difference is found