# Empty an array

Remove every item in place, so all references see an empty array.

Canonical: https://1loc.dev/array/empty-an-array/
Version: 1.0.0
Runtime: JavaScript · Node.js 22 / modern browsers
Verification: Usage lines executed in Node.js 22 and headless Chromium; no external services
Updated: 2026-10-28

## Implementation

```javascript
function empty(values) { values.length = 0; return values; }
```

## Usage

```javascript
const queue = ['ana@example.com', 'rui@example.com'];
const sameQueue = queue;
empty(queue);
sameQueue.length; // → 0
let list = [1, 2];
const alias = list;
list = [];
alias; // → [1, 2]
```

Lines marked → were executed in Node.js 22 and in headless Chromium, and each result was compared with the value shown. Lines marked e.g. are illustrative.

## Limits

- Setting length mutates the array. Assigning [] only rebinds one variable, as the second example shows.
- The original returned 0, the assigned length; this version returns the array.

The function does not validate its arguments. Add checks where it receives untrusted input.

## Source and license

Original: https://github.com/phuocng/1loc/blob/14b481cf60dff1620ab1bb99a43b1f68068cdd9b/contents/empty-an-array.mdx
Source file (this edition): https://github.com/akamind/1loc/blob/0a77f131b22d2ba3b7ec1728846f900c22821678/contents/empty-an-array.mdx
Author: Nguyen Huu Phuoc and original contributors
Contributors: See original repository history
Source commit: 14b481cf60dff1620ab1bb99a43b1f68068cdd9b
Copyright (c) 2020 phuoc-ng
License: MIT — https://1loc.dev/licenses/
Maintainer: Oveyon
Modifications: Returns the emptied array instead of 0. Documented as a reference with executed usage lines. Original MDX retained as inert source evidence.