Deeply Change Property Value Inside Array of Objects with JavaScript

Learn how to recursively change property values in deeply nested objects using JavaScript and lodash.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Javascript - Deeply change property value inside array of objects?

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Deeply Change Property Value Inside Array of Objects with JavaScript

When working with complex data structures in JavaScript, such as arrays of objects, you might find yourself needing to manipulate properties deeply nested within those objects. One common scenario is toggling a selection state within a hierarchy of objects. If you have an array of objects where each object could contain child objects (or "child nodes"), changing a property like selected for all nodes can become tricky.

Understanding the Problem

Let's start by outlining the structure of our data. Here's a simplified version of an object that resembles what we are dealing with:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In this structure, each object can have its own childNodes, and those child nodes can also have their own childNodes.

The challenge here is to update the selected property for every nested node, irrespective of the depth of the hierarchy.

Recursive Function for Deep Property Update

To handle this complexity, we can create a recursive function. This means the function will call itself whenever it finds an object that also contains child objects. Here is a simple function named updatePropertyDeep which does exactly this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

How to Use This Function

You can use this function to update the selected property throughout your object tree. Here's how you might implement it:

Set All Nodes to Selected:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Set All Nodes to Not Selected:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The function will traverse through all nodes in the hierarchy, ensuring that every instance of the selected property is updated.

Benefits of the Recursive Approach

Simplicity: You write the logic once, and it handles all levels of depth automatically.

Maintainability: The code is easy to understand and change if future modifications are needed.

No External Dependencies: While libraries like lodash are powerful, you can achieve this solely with native JavaScript.

Conclusion

Updating properties deeply nested within objects can be challenging, but with a recursive function, it becomes manageable. This approach can significantly simplify how you manage complex data structures in your applications, especially when working with state in frameworks like React.

Now you can confidently manipulate deeply nested properties with ease!