npm package: @stdlib/array-empty
Description: Create an uninitialized array having a specified length.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.3.1

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<details>
  <summary>
    About stdlib...
  </summary>
  <p>We believe in a future in which the web is a preferred environment for numerical computation. To help realize this future, we've built stdlib. stdlib is a standard library, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computation, written in JavaScript (and C) for execution in browsers and in Node.js.</p>
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</details>

# empty

[![NPM version][npm-image]][npm-url] [![Build Status][test-image]][test-url] [![Coverage Status][coverage-image]][coverage-url] <!-- [![dependencies][dependencies-image]][dependencies-url] -->

> Create an uninitialized array having a specified length.

<!-- Section to include introductory text. Make sure to keep an empty line after the intro `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="intro">

</section>

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<!-- Package usage documentation. -->

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/array-empty
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var empty = require( '@stdlib/array-empty' );
```

#### empty( length\[, dtype] )

Creates an uninitialized array having a specified length.

```javascript
var arr = empty( 2 );
// returns <Float64Array>
```

By default, the output array [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] is `float64` (i.e., a [typed array][mdn-typed-array]). To specify an alternative [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes], provide a `dtype` argument.

```javascript
var arr = empty( 2, 'int32' );
// returns <Int32Array>
```

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<!-- Package usage notes. Make sure to keep an empty line after the `section` element and another before the `/section` close. -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   In browser environments, the function always returns zero-filled arrays.
-   If `dtype` is `'generic'`, the function always returns a zero-filled array.
-   In Node.js versions `>=3.0.0`, the underlying memory of returned typed arrays is **not** initialized. Memory contents are unknown and may contain **sensitive** data.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<!-- Package usage examples. -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var dtypes = require( '@stdlib/array-dtypes' );
var empty = require( '@stdlib/array-empty' );

// Get a list of array data types:
var dt = dtypes();

// Generate empty arrays...
var arr;
var i;
for ( i = 0; i < dt.length; i++ ) {
    arr = empty( 4, dt[ i ] );
    console.log( arr );
}
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

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<section class="references">

</section>

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<section class="related">

* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array-empty-like`][@stdlib/array/empty-like]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an uninitialized array having the same length and data type as a provided array.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array-full`][@stdlib/array/full]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create a filled array having a specified length.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array-ones`][@stdlib/array/ones]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an array filled with ones and having a specified length.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array-zeros`][@stdlib/array/zeros]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create a zero-filled array having a specified length.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/ndarray-empty`][@stdlib/ndarray/empty]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an uninitialized ndarray having a specified shape and data type.</span>

</section>

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<section class="main-repo" >

* * *

## Notice

This package is part of [stdlib][stdlib], a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop [stdlib][stdlib], see the main project [repository][stdlib].

#### Community

[![Chat][chat-image]][chat-url]

---

## License

See [LICENSE][stdlib-license].


## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

<!-- /.stdlib -->

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[npm-image]: http://img.shields.io/npm/v/@stdlib/array-empty.svg
[npm-url]: https://npmjs.org/package/@stdlib/array-empty

[test-image]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg?branch=v0.3.1
[test-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/actions/workflows/test.yml?query=branch:v0.3.1

[coverage-image]: https://img.shields.io/codecov/c/github/stdlib-js/array-empty/main.svg
[coverage-url]: https://codecov.io/github/stdlib-js/array-empty?branch=main

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[stdlib]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib

[stdlib-authors]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stdlib/graphs/contributors

[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
[es-module]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Modules

[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/blob/deno/README.md
[umd-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/tree/umd
[umd-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/blob/umd/README.md
[esm-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/tree/esm
[esm-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/blob/esm/README.md
[branches-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/blob/main/branches.md

[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/array-empty/main/LICENSE

[mdn-typed-array]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/TypedArray

[@stdlib/array/dtypes]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-dtypes

<!-- <related-links> -->

[@stdlib/array/empty-like]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-empty-like

[@stdlib/array/full]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-full

[@stdlib/array/ones]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-ones

[@stdlib/array/zeros]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/array-zeros

[@stdlib/ndarray/empty]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-empty

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</section>

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