array = [] vs array.length = 0
Written byPhuoc Nguyen
Category
JavaScript
Created
02 Jun, 2020
Last updated
25 Aug, 2020
There are two ways to empty an array:
arr.length = 0;
// Or assign it to an empty array
arr = [];
#Difference
Setting
`arr = []`
creates a new array and doesn't affect other references.let foo = ['hello', 'world'];
// Add a reference
let bar = foo;
foo = [];
// `bar` isn't affected
console.log(bar); // ['hello', 'world']
On the other hand,
`arr.length = 0`
modifies the array. All references are affected.let foo = ['hello', 'world'];
let bar = foo;
foo.length = 0;
// `bar` is affected
console.log(bar); // []
#Good to know
-
There is another, less popular approach to empty an array:arr.splice(0, arr.length);This method affects other references. Since
`.splice`
returns an array of removed items, you can get a copy of original array by assigning the result to a new variable:let foo = ['hello', 'world'];// Empty and create a copy of `foo`let bar = foo.splice(0, foo.length);console.log(foo); // []console.log(bar); // ['hello', 'world'] -
If the array is declared as a constant, then you can't reassign it to
`[]`
.const foo = [1, 2, 3];foo = []; // will throw an exception of// "Assignment to constant variable"foo.length = 0;
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Phước Nguyễn