You don't (may not) need Lodash/Underscore

Lodash and Underscore are great modern JavaScript utility libraries, and they are widely used by Front-end developers. However, when you are targeting modern browsers, you may find out that there are many methods which are already supported natively thanks to ECMAScript5 [ES5] and ECMAScript2015 [ES6]. If you want your project to require fewer dependencies, and you know your target browser clearly, then you may not need Lodash/Underscore.

You are welcome to contribute with more items provided below.

**If you are targeting legacy JavaScript engine with those ES5 methods, you can use es5-shim

**Please note that, the examples used below are just showing you the native alternative of performing certain tasks. For some of the functions, Lodash provides you more options than native built-ins. This list is not a 1:1 comparison.

Voice of Developers

Make use of native JavaScript object and array utilities before going big.

—Cody Lindley, Author of jQuery Cookbook and JavaScript Enlightenment

You probably don't need Lodash. Nice List of JavaScript methods which you can use natively.

—Daniel Lamb, Computer Scientist, Technical Reviewer of Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja and Functional Programming in JavaScript

I guess not, but I want it.

—Tero Parviainen, Author of build-your-own-angular

I'll admit, I've been guilty of overusing #lodash. Excellent resource.

—@therebelrobot, Maker of web things, Facilitator for Node.js/io.js

ESLint Plugin

If you're using ESLint, you can install a plugin that will help you identify places in your codebase where you don't (may not) need Lodash/Underscore.

Install the plugin...

npm install --save-dev eslint-plugin-you-dont-need-lodash-underscore

...then update your config

"extends" : ["plugin:you-dont-need-lodash-underscore/compatible"],

For more information, see Configuring the ESLint Plugin

Quick Links

Array

1. _.compact
2. _.concat
3. _.fill
4. _.find
5. _.findIndex
6. _.head and _.tail
7. _.indexOf
8. _.join
9. _.lastIndexOf
10. _.reverse
11. _.without

Collection*

❗Important: Note that the native equivalents are array methods, and will not work with objects. If this functionality is needed, then Lodash/Underscore is the better option.

1. _.each
2. _.every
3. _.filter
4. _.includes
5. _.map
6. _.minBy and _.maxBy
7. _.pluck
8. _.range
9. _.reduce
10. _.reduceRight
11. _.size
12. _.some

Function

1. _.after

Lang

1. _.isNaN

Object

1. _.assign
2. _.keys
3. _.toPairs
4. _.values

String

1. _.repeat
2. _.template
3. _.toLower
4. _.toUpper
5. _.trim

Array

_.compact

Creates an array with all falsey values removed.

// Underscore/Lodash
_.compact([0, 1, false, 2, '', 3]);

// Native
[0, 1, false, 2, '', 3].filter( v => !!v)

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.concat

Creates a new array concatenating array with any additional arrays and/or values.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [1]
var other = _.concat(array, 2, [3], [[4]])

console.log(other)
// output: [1, 2, 3, [4]]

// Native
var array = [1]
var other = array.concat(2, [3], [[4]])

console.log(other)
// output: [1, 2, 3, [4]]

Browser Support

1.0 ✔	1.0 ✔	5.5 ✔	✔	✔

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_.fill

Fills elements of array with value from start up to, but not including, end. Note that fill is a mutable method in both native and Lodash/Underscore.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [1, 2, 3]

_.fill(array, 'a')

console.log(array)
// output: ['a', 'a', 'a']

_.fill(Array(3), 2)
// output: [2, 2, 2]

_.fill([4, 6, 8, 10], '*', 1, 3)
// output: [4, '*', '*', 10]

// Native
var array = [1, 2, 3]

array.fill('a')

console.log(array)
// output: ['a', 'a', 'a']

Array(3).fill(2)
// output: [2, 2, 2]

[4, 6, 8, 10].fill('*', 1, 3)
// output: [4, '*', '*', 10]

Browser Support

45.0 ✔	31.0 ✔	Not supported	Not supported	7.1 ✔

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_.find

Returns the value of the first element in the array that satisfies the provided testing function. Otherwise undefined is returned.

// Underscore/Lodash
var users = [
  { 'user': 'barney',  'age': 36, 'active': true },
  { 'user': 'fred',    'age': 40, 'active': false },
  { 'user': 'pebbles', 'age': 1,  'active': true }
]

_.find(users, function (o) { return o.age < 40; })
// output: object for 'barney'

// Native
var users = [
  { 'user': 'barney',  'age': 36, 'active': true },
  { 'user': 'fred',    'age': 40, 'active': false },
  { 'user': 'pebbles', 'age': 1,  'active': true }
]

users.find(function (o) { return o.age < 40; })
// output: object for 'barney'

Browser Support

45.0 ✔	25.0 ✔	Not supported	Not supported	7.1 ✔

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_.findIndex

Returns the index of the first element in the array that satisfies the provided testing function. Otherwise -1 is returned.

// Underscore/Lodash
var users = [
  { 'user': 'barney',  'age': 36, 'active': true },
  { 'user': 'fred',    'age': 40, 'active': false },
  { 'user': 'pebbles', 'age': 1,  'active': true }
]

var index = _.findIndex(users, function (o) { return o.age >= 40; })
console.log(index)
// output: 1

// Native
var users = [
  { 'user': 'barney',  'age': 36, 'active': true },
  { 'user': 'fred',    'age': 40, 'active': false },
  { 'user': 'pebbles', 'age': 1,  'active': true }
]

var index = users.findIndex(function (o) { return o.age >= 40; })
console.log(index)
// output: 1

Browser Support

45.0 ✔	25.0 ✔	Not supported	Not supported	7.1 ✔

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_.head and _.tail

Gets the first element or all but the first element.

const array = [1, 2, 3]

// Underscore: _.first, _.head, _.take
// Lodash: _.first, _.head
_.head(array)
// output: 1

// Underscore: _.rest, _.tail, _.drop
// Lodash: _.tail
_.tail(array)
// output: [2, 3]


// Native
const [ head, ...tail ] = array
console.log(head)
// output: 1
console.log(tail)
// output [2, 3]

Browser Support

49 ✔	34 ✔	Not Supported	Not Supported	✔

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_.indexOf

Returns the first index at which a given element can be found in the array, or -1 if it is not present.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [2, 9, 9]
var result = _.indexOf(array, 2)
console.log(result)
// output: 0

// Native
var array = [2, 9, 9]
var result = array.indexOf(2)
console.log(result)
// output: 0

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.join

❗Lodash only Joins a list of elements in an array with a given separator.

// Lodash
var result = _.join(['one', 'two', 'three'], '--')
console.log(result)
// output: 'one--two--three'

// Native
var result = ['one', 'two', 'three'].join('--')
console.log(result)
// output: 'one--two--three'

Browser Support

1.0 ✔	1.0 ✔	5.5 ✔	✔	✔

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_.lastIndexOf

Returns the index of the last occurrence of value in the array, or -1 if value is not present.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [2, 9, 9, 4, 3, 6]
var result = _.lastIndexOf(array, 9)
console.log(result)
// output: 2

// Native
var array = [2, 9, 9, 4, 3, 6]
var result = array.lastIndexOf(9)
console.log(result)
// output: 2

Browser Support

✔	✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.reverse

❗Lodash only Reverses array so that the first element becomes the last, the second element becomes the second to last, and so on.

// Lodash
var array = [1, 2, 3]
console.log(_.reverse(array))
// output: [3, 2, 1]

// Native
var array = [1, 2, 3]
console.log(array.reverse())
// output: [3, 2, 1]

Voice from the Lodash author:

Lodash's _.reverse just calls Array#reverse and enables composition like _.map(arrays, _.reverse). It's exposed on _ because previously, like Underscore, it was only exposed in the chaining syntax. --- jdalton

Browser Support

1.0 ✔	1.0 ✔	5.5 ✔	✔	✔

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_.without

❗Lodash only Returns an array where matching items are filtered.

// Lodash
var array = [1, 2, 3]
console.log(_.without(array, 2))
// output: [1, 3]

// Native
var array = [1, 2, 3]
console.log(array.filter(function(value) {
  return value !== 2;
}));
// output: [1, 3]

Browser Support

1.0 ✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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Collection*

❗Important: Note that the native equivalents are array methods, and will not work with objects. If this functionality is needed, then Lodash/Underscore is the better option.

_.each

Iterates over a list of elements, yielding each in turn to an iteratee function.

// Underscore/Lodash
_.each([1, 2, 3], function (value, index) {
  console.log(value)
})
// output: 1 2 3

// Native
[1, 2, 3].forEach(function (value, index) {
  console.log(value)
})
// output: 1 2 3

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.every

Tests whether all elements in the array pass the test implemented by the provided function.

// Underscore/Lodash
function isLargerThanTen (element, index, array) {
  return element >= 10
}
var array = [10, 20, 30]
var result = _.every(array, isLargerThanTen)
console.log(result)
// output: true

// Native
function isLargerThanTen (element, index, array) {
  return element >= 10
}

var array = [10, 20, 30]
var result = array.every(isLargerThanTen)
console.log(result)
// output: true

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.filter

Creates a new array with all elements that pass the test implemented by the provided function.

// Underscore/Lodash
function isBigEnough (value) {
  return value >= 10
}
var array = [12, 5, 8, 130, 44]
var filtered = _.filter(array, isBigEnough)
console.log(filtered)
// output: [12, 130, 44]

// Native
function isBigEnough (value) {
  return value >= 10
}
var array = [12, 5, 8, 130, 44]
var filtered = array.filter(isBigEnough)
console.log(filtered)
// output: [12, 130, 44]

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.includes

Checks if a value is in collection.

var array = [1, 2, 3]
// Underscore/Lodash - also called _.contains
_.includes(array, 1)
// output: true

// Native
var array = [1, 2, 3]
array.includes(1)
// output: true

// Native (does not use same value zero)
var array = [1, 2, 3]
array.indexOf(1) > -1
// output: true

Browser Support for Array.prototype.includes

47 ✔	43 ✔	Not supported	34 ✔	9 ✔

Browser Support for Array.prototype.indexOf

✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

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_.map

Translates all items in an array or object to new array of items.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array1 = [1, 2, 3]
var array2 = _.map(array1, function (value, index) {
  return value * 2
})
console.log(array2)
// output: [2, 4, 6]

// Native
var array1 = [1, 2, 3]
var array2 = array1.map(function (value, index) {
  return value * 2
})
console.log(array2)
// output: [2, 4, 6]

_.minBy and _.maxBy

Use Array#reduce for find the maximum or minimum collection item

// Underscore/Lodash
var data = [{ value: 6 }, { value: 2 }, { value: 4 }]
var minItem = _.minBy(data, 'value')
var maxItem = _.maxBy(data, 'value')
console.log(minItem, maxItem)
// output: { value: 2 } { value: 6 }

// Native
var data = [{ value: 6 }, { value: 2 }, { value: 4 }]
var minItem = data.reduce(function(a, b) { return a.value <= b.value ? a : b }, {})
var maxItem = data.reduce(function(a, b) { return a.value >= b.value ? a : b }, {})
console.log(minItem, maxItem)
// output: { value: 2 }, { value: 6 }

Extract a functor and use es2015 for better code

// utils
const makeSelect = (comparator) => (a, b) => comparator(a, b) ? a : b
const minByValue = makeSelect((a, b) => a.value <= b.value)
const maxByValue = makeSelect((a, b) => a.value >= b.value)

// main logic
const data = [{ value: 6 }, { value: 2 }, { value: 4 }]
const minItem = data.reduce(minByValue, {})
const maxItem = data.reduce(maxByValue, {})

console.log(minItem, maxItem)
// output: { value: 2 }, { value: 6 }

// or also more universal and little slower variant of minBy
const minBy = (collection, key) => {
  // slower because need to create a lambda function for each call...
  const select = (a, b) => a[key] <= b[key] ? a : b
  return collection.reduce(select, {})
}

console.log(minBy(data, 'value'))
// output: { value: 2 }

Browser Support

✔	3.0 ✔	9 ✔	10.5 ✔	4.0 ✔

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_.pluck

array.map or _.map can also be used to replace _.pluck. Lodash v4.0 removed _.pluck in favor of _.map with iteratee shorthand. Details can be found in Changelog

// Underscore/Lodash
var array1 = [{name: "Alice"}, {name: "Bob"}, {name: "Jeremy"}]
var names = _.pluck(array1, "name")
console.log(names)
// output: ["Alice", "Bob", "Jeremy"]

// Native
var array1 = [{name: "Alice"}, {name: "Bob"}, {name: "Jeremy"}]
var names = array1.map(function(x){
  return x.name
})
console.log(names)
// output: ["Alice", "Bob", "Jeremy"]

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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_.reduce

Applies a function against an accumulator and each value of the array (from left-to-right) to reduce it to a single value.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
var result = _.reduce(array, function (previousValue, currentValue, currentIndex, array) {
  return previousValue + currentValue
})
console.log(result)
// output: 10

// Native
var array = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
var result = array.reduce(function (previousValue, currentValue, currentIndex, array) {
  return previousValue + currentValue
})
console.log(result)
// output: 10

Browser Support

✔	3.0 ✔	9 ✔	10.5 ✔	4.0 ✔

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_.range

Creates an array of numbers progressing from start up to.

// Underscore/Lodash
_.range(4)  // output: [0, 1, 2, 3]
_.range(-4) // output: [0, -1, -2, -3]
_.range(1, 5)     // output: [1, 2, 3, 4]
_.range(0, 20, 5) // output: [0, 5, 10, 15]

// Native ( solution with Array.from )
Array.from({length: 4}, (_, i) => i)  // output: [0, 1, 2, 3]
Array.from({length: 4}, (_, i) => -i) // output: [0, -1, -2, -3]
Array.from({length: 4}, (_, i) => i + 1) // output: [1, 2, 3, 4]
Array.from({length: 4}, (_, i) => i * 5) // output: [0, 5, 10, 15]

// Native ( solution with keys() and spread )
[...Array(4).keys()] // output: [0, 1, 2, 3]

Browser Support ( Array.from )

45 ✔	32 ✔	Not supported	✔	9.0 ✔

Browser Support ( keys and array spread )

46 ✔	16 ✔	Not supported	37 ✔	7.1 ✔

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_.reduceRight

This method is like _.reduce except that it iterates over elements of collection from right to left.

// Underscore/Lodash
var array = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
var result = _.reduceRight(array, function (previousValue, currentValue, currentIndex, array) {
  return previousValue - currentValue
})
console.log(result)
// output: -2

// Native
var array = [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
var result = array.reduceRight(function (previousValue, currentValue, currentIndex, array) {
  return previousValue - currentValue
})
console.log(result)
// output: -2

Browser Support

✔	3.0 ✔	9 ✔	10.5 ✔	4.0 ✔

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_.size

Returns the number of values in the collection.

// Underscore/Lodash
var result = _.size({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result)
// output: 3

// Native
var result2 = Object.keys({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3}).length
console.log(result2)
// output: 3

Browser Support

5 ✔	4.0 ✔	9 ✔	12 ✔	5 ✔

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_.some

Tests whether any of the elements in the array pass the test implemented by the provided function.

// Underscore/Lodash
function isLargerThanTen (element, index, array) {
  return element >= 10
}
var array = [10, 9, 8]
var result = _.some(array, isLargerThanTen)
console.log(result)
// output: true

// Native
function isLargerThanTen (element, index, array) {
  return element >= 10
}

var array = [10, 9, 8]
var result = array.some(isLargerThanTen)
console.log(result)
// output: true

Browser Support

✔	1.5 ✔	9 ✔	✔	✔

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Function

_.after

❗Note this is an alternative implementation Creates a version of the function that will only be run after first being called count times. Useful for grouping asynchronous responses, where you want to be sure that all the async calls have finished, before proceeding.

 var notes = ['profile', 'settings']
 // Underscore/Lodash
 var renderNotes = _.after(notes.length, render)
 notes.forEach(function (note) {
   console.log(note)
   renderNotes()
 })

 // Native
 notes.forEach(function (note, index) {
   console.log(note)
   if (notes.length === (index + 1)) {
     render()
   }
 })

Browser Support

✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

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Lang

_.isNaN

Checks if a value is NaN.

// Underscore/Lodash
console.log(_.isNaN(NaN))
// output: true

// Native
console.log(isNaN(NaN))
// output: true

// ES6
console.log(Number.isNaN(NaN))
// output: true

MDN:

In comparison to the global isNaN() function, Number.isNaN() doesn't suffer the problem of forcefully converting the parameter to a number. This means it is now safe to pass values that would normally convert to NaN, but aren't actually the same value as NaN. This also means that only values of the type number, that are also NaN, return true. Number.isNaN()

Voice from the Lodash author:

Lodash's _.isNaN is equiv to ES6 Number.isNaN which is different than the global isNaN. --- jdalton

Browser Support for isNaN

✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

Browser Support for Number.isNaN

25 ✔	15 ✔	Not supported	✔	9 ✔

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Object

_.assign

The method is used to copy the values of all enumerable own properties from one or more source objects to a target object.

// Underscore: _.extendOwn
// Lodash
function Foo() {
  this.c = 3;
}
function Bar() {
  this.e = 5;
}
Foo.prototype.d = 4;
Bar.prototype.f = 6;
var result = _.assign(new Foo, new Bar);
console.log(result);
// output: { 'c': 3, 'e': 5 }

// Native
function Foo() {
  this.c = 3;
}
function Bar() {
  this.e = 5;
}
Foo.prototype.d = 4;
Bar.prototype.f = 6;
var result = Object.assign(new Foo, new Bar);
console.log(result);
// output: { 'c': 3, 'e': 5 }

Browser Support

45 ✔	34 ✔	No support	32 ✔	9 ✔

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_.keys

Retrieves all the names of the object's own enumerable properties.

// Underscore/Lodash
var result = _.keys({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result)
// output: ["one", "two", "three"]

// Native
var result2 = Object.keys({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result2)
// output: ["one", "two", "three"]

Browser Support

5 ✔	4.0 ✔	9 ✔	12 ✔	5 ✔

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_.toPairs

Retrieves all the given object's own enumerable property [ key, value ] pairs.

// Underscore - also called _.pairs
// Lodash - also called _.entries
var result = _.toPairs({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result)
// output: [["one", 1], ["two", 2], ["three", 3]]

// Native
var result2 = Object.entries({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result2)
// output: [["one", 1], ["two", 2], ["three", 3]]

Browser Support

38 ✔	28 ✔	Not supported	25 ✔	7.1 ✔

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_.values

Retrieves all the given object's own enumerable property values.

// Underscore/Lodash
var result = _.values({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result)
// output: [1, 2, 3]

// Native
var result2 = Object.values({one: 1, two: 2, three: 3})
console.log(result2)
// output: [1, 2, 3]

Browser Support

54 ✔	47 ✔	Not supported	Not supported	Not supported

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String

_.repeat

❗Lodash only Repeats the given string n times.

// Lodash
var result = _.repeat('abc', 2)
// output: 'abcabc'

// Native
var result = 'abc'.repeat(2)
console.log(result)
// output: 'abcabc'

Browser Support

41 ✔	24 ✔	Not supported	Not supported	9 ✔

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_.template

❗ Note this is an alternative implementation. Native template literals not escape html.

Create a template function.

// Lodash/Underscore
const compiled = _.template('hello <%= user %>!');
compiled({ 'user': 'fred' });

// Native
const templateLitreal = (value) => `hello ${value.user}`;
templateLiterlFunction({ 'user': 'fred' });

Browser Support

41 ✔	34 ✔	Not supported	28 ✔	9 ✔

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_.toLower

❗Lodash only Lowercases a given string.

// Lodash
var result = _.toLower('FOOBAR')
console.log(result)
// output: 'foobar'

// Native
var result = 'FOOBAR'.toLowerCase()
console.log(result)
// output: 'foobar'

Browser Support

✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

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_.toUpper

❗Lodash only Uppercases a given string.

// Lodash
var result = _.toUpper('foobar')
console.log(result)
// output: 'FOOBAR'

// Native
var result = 'foobar'.toUpperCase()
console.log(result)
// output: 'FOOBAR'

Browser Support

✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

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_.trim

❗Lodash only Removes the leading and trailing whitespace characters from a string.

// Lodash
var result = _.trim(' abc ')
console.log(result)
// output: 'abc'

// Native
var result = ' abc '.trim()
console.log(result)
// output: 'abc'

Browser Support

5.0 ✔	3.5 ✔	9.0 ✔	10.5 ✔	5.0 ✔

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Reference

• Mozilla Developer Network
• Underscore.js
• Lodash.js

Inspired by:

• You-Dont-Need-jQuery
• Rui's blog

License

MIT