if (result[splitKey[0]] === undefined) { // first operator for the key, we add it to the dict result[splitKey[0]] = op; console.log(result[splitKey[0]],"result---test1") } else { if (!Array.isArray(result[splitKey[0]])) { // second operator, we transform to an array result[splitKey[0]] = [result[splitKey[0]], op] console.log(result[splitKey[0]],"result---test2") } else { // third and subsequent, we add to array result[splitKey[0]].push(op); console.log(result[splitKey[0]],"result---test3") } }