How is $('h1') logging to the web console as an array in jQuery?

Question

If you do console.log($(\'some selector\')) in the browser, it returns what looks like an array (first line):

Answer 1

You make your object inherit Array using the prototype, like so:

function SomeType() {
    this.push(16);
}

SomeType.prototype = [];
SomeType.prototype.constructor = SomeType; // Make sure there are no unexpected results

console.log(new SomeType()); // Displays in console as [16]

And, of course, all jQuery objects are instances of the jQuery function/constructor, so that's how jQuery does it. As a bonus, because of the inheritance, you get all the methods from Array, and the indexing that comes with it too!