Cross-Browser Split

split.js

/*!
 * Cross-Browser Split 1.1.1
 * Copyright 2007-2012 Steven Levithan <stevenlevithan.com>
 * Available under the MIT License
 * ECMAScript compliant, uniform cross-browser split method
 */

/**
 * Splits a string into an array of strings using a regex or string separator. Matches of the
 * separator are not included in the result array. However, if `separator` is a regex that contains
 * capturing groups, backreferences are spliced into the result each time `separator` is matched.
 * Fixes browser bugs compared to the native `String.prototype.split` and can be used reliably
 * cross-browser.
 * @param {String} str String to split.
 * @param {RegExp|String} separator Regex or string to use for separating the string.
 * @param {Number} [limit] Maximum number of items to include in the result array.
 * @returns {Array} Array of substrings.
 * @example
 *
 * // Basic use
 * split('a b c d', ' ');
 * // -> ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd']
 *
 * // With limit
 * split('a b c d', ' ', 2);
 * // -> ['a', 'b']
 *
 * // Backreferences in result array
 * split('..word1 word2..', /([a-z]+)(\d+)/i);
 * // -> ['..', 'word', '1', ' ', 'word', '2', '..']
 */
var split;

// Avoid running twice; that would break the `nativeSplit` reference
split = split || function (undef) {

    var nativeSplit = String.prototype.split,
        compliantExecNpcg = /()??/.exec("")[1] === undef, // NPCG: nonparticipating capturing group
        self;

    self = function (str, separator, limit) {
        // If `separator` is not a regex, use `nativeSplit`
        if (Object.prototype.toString.call(separator) !== "[object RegExp]") {
            return nativeSplit.call(str, separator, limit);
        }
        var output = [],
            flags = (separator.ignoreCase ? "i" : "") +
                    (separator.multiline  ? "m" : "") +
                    (separator.extended   ? "x" : "") + // Proposed for ES6
                    (separator.sticky     ? "y" : ""), // Firefox 3+
            lastLastIndex = 0,
            // Make `global` and avoid `lastIndex` issues by working with a copy
            separator = new RegExp(separator.source, flags + "g"),
            separator2, match, lastIndex, lastLength;
        str += ""; // Type-convert
        if (!compliantExecNpcg) {
            // Doesn't need flags gy, but they don't hurt
            separator2 = new RegExp("^" + separator.source + "$(?!\\s)", flags);
        }
        /* Values for `limit`, per the spec:
         * If undefined: 4294967295 // Math.pow(2, 32) - 1
         * If 0, Infinity, or NaN: 0
         * If positive number: limit = Math.floor(limit); if (limit > 4294967295) limit -= 4294967296;
         * If negative number: 4294967296 - Math.floor(Math.abs(limit))
         * If other: Type-convert, then use the above rules
         */
        limit = limit === undef ?
            -1 >>> 0 : // Math.pow(2, 32) - 1
            limit >>> 0; // ToUint32(limit)
        while (match = separator.exec(str)) {
            // `separator.lastIndex` is not reliable cross-browser
            lastIndex = match.index + match[0].length;
            if (lastIndex > lastLastIndex) {
                output.push(str.slice(lastLastIndex, match.index));
                // Fix browsers whose `exec` methods don't consistently return `undefined` for
                // nonparticipating capturing groups
                if (!compliantExecNpcg && match.length > 1) {
                    match[0].replace(separator2, function () {
                        for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length - 2; i++) {
                            if (arguments[i] === undef) {
                                match[i] = undef;
                            }
                        }
                    });
                }
                if (match.length > 1 && match.index < str.length) {
                    Array.prototype.push.apply(output, match.slice(1));
                }
                lastLength = match[0].length;
                lastLastIndex = lastIndex;
                if (output.length >= limit) {
                    break;
                }
            }
            if (separator.lastIndex === match.index) {
                separator.lastIndex++; // Avoid an infinite loop
            }
        }
        if (lastLastIndex === str.length) {
            if (lastLength || !separator.test("")) {
                output.push("");
            }
        } else {
            output.push(str.slice(lastLastIndex));
        }
        return output.length > limit ? output.slice(0, limit) : output;
    };

    // For convenience
    String.prototype.split = function (separator, limit) {
        return self(this, separator, limit);
    };

    return self;

}();

@itsuki-murata Yes, sorry, I don't know what went wrong. When I posted the MIT license link above it correctly included the copyright holders information; now it doesn't. 🤷‍♂️ Your version you posted above is correct. I'll soon delete some of these comments and post a clearer version of the license. But yes, all versions of this script are released under the MIT license with the copyright holder being me, Steven Levithan.

UnderStood, thank you for the detailed explanation and response.