npm package: @stdlib/slice-ctor
Description: Slice constructor.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.2.3

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    About stdlib...
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</details>

# Slice

[![NPM version][npm-image]][npm-url] [![Build Status][test-image]][test-url] [![Coverage Status][coverage-image]][coverage-url] <!-- [![dependencies][dependencies-image]][dependencies-url] -->

> Slice constructor.

<!-- Section to include introductory text. Make sure to keep an empty line after the intro `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="intro">

</section>

<!-- /.intro -->

<!-- Package usage documentation. -->

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/slice-ctor
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var Slice = require( '@stdlib/slice-ctor' );
```

<a name="main"></a>

#### Slice( \[stop] )

Returns a `Slice` instance.

```javascript
var s = new Slice();
// returns <Slice>

s = new Slice();
// returns <Slice>
```

The constructor accepts the following arguments:

-   **stop**: ending index (exclusive). Default: `null`.

#### Slice( start, stop\[, step] )

Returns a `Slice` instance.

```javascript
var s = new Slice( 0, 10 );
// returns <Slice>

s = new Slice( 0, 10, 1 );
// returns <Slice>
```

The constructor accepts the following arguments:

-   **start**: starting index (inclusive).
-   **stop**: ending index (exclusive).
-   **step**: index increment. A numeric index increment argument must be a non-zero integer value. Default: `null`.

* * *

### Properties

<a name="static-prop-name"></a>

#### Slice.name

String value of the `Slice` constructor name.

```javascript
var str = Slice.name;
// returns 'Slice'
```

<a name="prop-start"></a>

#### Slice.prototype.start

**Read-only** property returning the slice starting index.

```javascript
var s = new Slice( 10 );
// returns <Slice>

var start = s.start;
// returns null

s = new Slice( 2, 10 );
// returns <Slice>

start = s.start;
// returns 2
```

<a name="prop-stop"></a>

#### Slice.prototype.stop

**Read-only** property returning the slice ending index.

<!-- eslint-disable no-global-assign, stdlib/no-redeclare -->

```javascript
var s = new Slice( null );
// returns <Slice>

var stop = s.stop;
// returns null

s = new Slice( 10 );
// returns <Slice>

stop = s.stop;
// returns 10

s = new Slice( 2, 10 );
// returns <Slice>

stop = s.stop;
// returns 10
```

<a name="prop-step"></a>

#### Slice.prototype.step

**Read-only** property returning the slice index increment.

```javascript
var s = new Slice( 10 );
// returns <Slice>

var step = s.step;
// returns null

s = new Slice( 2, 10 );
// returns <Slice>

step = s.step;
// returns null

s = new Slice( 2, 10, 1 );
// returns <Slice>

step = s.step;
// returns 1
```

* * *

### Methods

<a name="method-to-string"></a>

#### Slice.prototype.toString()

Serializes a `Slice` as a string.

```javascript
var s = new Slice( 10 );
// returns <Slice>

var str = s.toString();
// returns 'Slice(null,10,null)'

s = new Slice( 2, 10, 1 );
// returns <Slice>

str = s.toString();
// returns 'Slice(2,10,1)'
```

<a name="method-to-json"></a>

#### Slice.prototype.toJSON()

Serializes a `Slice` as a [JSON][json] object.

```javascript
var s = new Slice( 10 );
// returns <Slice>

var o = s.toJSON();
// returns { 'type': 'Slice', 'data': [ null, 10, null ] }

s = new Slice( 2, 10, 1 );
// returns <Slice>

o = s.toJSON();
// returns { 'type': 'Slice', 'data': [ 2, 10, 1 ] }
```

`JSON.stringify()` implicitly calls this method when stringifying a `Slice` instance.

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<!-- Package usage notes. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

* * *

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   Slice arguments may be either integers, `null`, or `undefined`, where a non-integer value indicates a slice parameter which should be determined based on the slice context (e.g., when used to index into an [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]).
-   Slice instances have no explicit functionality; however, they are used by [`ndarray`][@stdlib/ndarray] and other packages for creating views into multi-dimensional data structures.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<!-- Package usage examples. -->

* * *

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

<!-- eslint-disable no-global-assign, stdlib/no-redeclare -->

```javascript
var Slice = require( '@stdlib/slice-ctor' );

var s = new Slice( 9, -10, -1 );
// returns <Slice>

var start = s.start;
console.log( 'Start: %d', start );
// => 'Start: 9'

var stop = s.stop;
console.log( 'Stop: %d', stop );
// => 'Stop: -10'

var step = s.step;
console.log( 'Step: %d', step );
// => 'Step: -1'

var str = s.toString();
console.log( str );
// => 'Slice(9,-10,-1)'

var o = s.toJSON();
console.log( JSON.stringify( o ) );
// => '{"type":"Slice","data":[9,-10,-1]}'
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

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<section class="references">

</section>

<!-- /.references -->

<!-- Section for related `stdlib` packages. Do not manually edit this section, as it is automatically populated. -->

<section class="related">

* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/ndarray-ctor`][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">multidimensional array constructor.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/slice-multi`][@stdlib/slice/multi]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">multi-slice constructor.</span>

</section>

<!-- /.related -->

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<section class="main-repo" >

* * *

## Notice

This package is part of [stdlib][stdlib], a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop [stdlib][stdlib], see the main project [repository][stdlib].

#### Community

[![Chat][chat-image]][chat-url]

---

## License

See [LICENSE][stdlib-license].


## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

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[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
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[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/slice-ctor/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/slice-ctor/blob/deno/README.md
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[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/slice-ctor/main/LICENSE

[json]: http://www.json.org/

[@stdlib/ndarray]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray

[@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-ctor

<!-- <related-links> -->

[@stdlib/slice/multi]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/slice-multi

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</section>

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