function slice( x, s, strict ) {
	var out;
	var len;
	var ns;
	var dt;
	var N;

	len = x.length;

	// Normalize the slice object base on the array length:
	ns = normalizeSlice( s, len, true );

	// Check whether the slice exceeds the array bounds...
	if ( ns.code ) {
		if ( strict ) {
			throw new RangeError( format( 'invalid argument. Slice exceeds array bounds. Array length: %d.', len ) );
		}
		// Normalize again, this time allowing for out-of-bounds indices:
		ns = normalizeSlice( s, len, false );
	}
	// Compute the slice length:
	N = sliceLength( ns );

	// Resolve the input array data type:
	dt = dtype( x );

	// Allocate an output array:
	if ( dt === 'generic' || dt === null ) { // note: if we were provided an "exotic" array object, fallback to always returning a "generic" array
		out = zeros( N );
	} else {
		out = new x.constructor( N ); // note: this should accommodate array species which inherit from built-in/known constructors and we assume that all constructors support providing a length argument
	}
	// Copy elements to the output array:
	gcopy( N, x, ns.step, ns.start, out, 1, 0 );

	return out;
}
Returns a shallow copy of a portion of an array.

@param {Collection} x - input array
@param {Slice} s - slice object
@param {boolean} strict - boolean indicating whether to enforce strict bounds checking
@throws {RangeError} slice exceeds array bounds
@returns {Collection} output array

@example
var Slice = require( '@stdlib/slice/ctor' );

var x = [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ];

var s = new Slice( null, null, -2 );
// returns <Slice>

var y = slice( x, s, false );
// returns [ 8, 6, 4, 2 ]

var out = ( y === x );
// returns false

@example
var Int32Array = require( '@stdlib/array/int32' );
var Slice = require( '@stdlib/slice/ctor' );

var x = new Int32Array( [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ] );

var s = new Slice( null, null, -2 );
// returns <Slice>

var y = slice( x, s, false );
// returns <Int32Array>[ 8, 6, 4, 2 ]

var out = ( y === x );
// returns false