Transferable ArrayBuffer
The detached accessor property of ArrayBuffer instances returns a boolean indicating whether or not this buffer has been detached (transferred).
Browser support
| Feature | Desktop | Mobile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Safari | Chrome Android | Safari iOS | |
| 114 | 114 | 122 | 17.4 | 114 | 17.4 | |
| Built-in object | ||||||
| The transfer() method of ArrayBuffer instances creates a new ArrayBuffer with the same byte content as this buffer, then detaches this buffer. | 114 | 114 | 122 | 17.4 | 114 | 17.4 |
| The transferToFixedLength() method of ArrayBuffer instances creates a new non-resizable ArrayBuffer with the same byte content as this buffer, then detaches this buffer. | 114 | 114 | 122 | 17.4 | 114 | 17.4 |
Syntax
const buf = new ArrayBuffer(1024);
const transferred = buf.transfer();
buf.byteLength; // 0 (already detached)
transferred.byteLength; // 1024Live demo
Check transfer support
Inspect whether ArrayBuffer.prototype.transfer exists.
Transfer a buffer when supported
Move the contents into a new buffer without manual copying.
Transfer to a fixed size
Use transferToFixedLength when the runtime exposes the helper.
Use cases
-
Worker handoff
Move binary data between threads without duplicating the entire payload in memory.
-
Media and file processing
Pass decoded or transformed buffers through a pipeline while keeping copies to a minimum.
Cautions
- After transfer, the original owner loses access to the buffer, so lifecycle mistakes can cause confusing bugs.
- Explicit transfer semantics are powerful, but they demand clear ownership documentation.
Accessibility
- Faster large-data transfers can help keep document and media processing responsive.
- User-facing progress still needs to reflect the work happening across thread boundaries.