Why does 'this' keyword in array prototype point to elements of array?

The this keyword in the context of the Array prototype method refers to the array that the method is called on. This means that when you call a method on an array, the this keyword inside the method will refer to that array.

For example, when you call the `forEach()` method on an array, this will refer to the array being iterated over. When you call the `map()` method on an array, this will refer to the original array that the new array is being created from.

This behavior allows you to perform operations on the array elements using the this keyword, as the this keyword points to the array elements themselves. This makes it convenient to perform operations on the array without having to reference each element individually.

To explain in detail, in JavaScript, the `this` keyword is used to refer to the current object or context in which code is being executed. The value of `this` depends on the execution context, which is determined by how a function is called.

When a function is called as a method of an object, the value of this is set to the object that the method belongs to. For example, consider the following code:

const myObj = {
  myMethod() {
    console.log(this);
  }
};

myObj.myMethod(); // logs `myObj` object

In this example, `myMethod` is called as a method of the `myObj` object. When the method is executed, this is set to `myObj`, which is the object that the method belongs to.

When a function is called without an explicit context, the value of this is set to the global object (window in the browser or global in Node.js). For example:

In the case of the Array prototype methods, this refers to the array on which the method is being called. This allows you to access and manipulate the array elements using the this keyword.

For example, consider the following code:

const myArray = [1, 2, 3];

myArray.forEach(function(element) {
  console.log(this); // logs `myArray` object
});

In this example, the forEach() method is called on myArray. When the callback function is executed for each element of the array, this is set to myArray, allowing you to access and manipulate the elements of the array using the this keyword.

It’s worth noting that the this keyword is a fundamental concept in JavaScript and its behavior is not limited to array prototypes. In general, the value of this depends on how a function is called, and can be influenced by factors such as function binding, context, and invocation method.

I hope this helps clarify the concept of the this keyword in JavaScript and its use in the context of the Array prototype methods.