In JavaScript, what does the 'typeof' operator return for an array?

The 'typeof' operator in JavaScript returns 'object' for arrays because, under the hood, arrays are specialized types of objects. In JavaScript, all arrays inherit from the Array prototype, which makes them a specific form of an object rather than a distinct or primitive type.

When you use the 'typeof' operator on an array, it will not return 'array' because JavaScript does not have a built-in type designation for arrays; instead, it falls under the broader category of objects. This behavior can sometimes be misleading for developers who might expect a different return value specifically indicating that the variable is an array.

For greater clarity, if you want to check if a variable is an array specifically, you can use the Array.isArray() method. This return value aligns with JavaScript's dynamic typing system, where types are determined at runtime, leading to objects being the fundamental category that includes many structures, including arrays.