How to remove items from an array in JavaScript?
Tags: javascript
Published: 2022-09-13 16:48:21

---
title: How to remove items from an array in JavaScript?
published: true
description: In this blog, we are going to learn how to remove items from an array in JavaScript.
tags: JavaScript
cover_image: https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/sorchh9qdoplztn5dk8i.png
canonical_url: https://amitshekhar.me/blog/remove-items-from-an-array-in-javascript
---

I am [**Amit Shekhar**](https://amitshekhar.me), a mentor helping developers in getting high-paying tech jobs.

In this blog, we are going to learn how to remove items from an array in JavaScript. As there are many ways to remove the items from an array in JavaScript, depending on the use case, we can decide which one to use.

**This article was originally published at [amitshekhar.me](https://amitshekhar.me/blog/remove-items-from-an-array-in-javascript).**


We can use any method, operator or property from the following to remove items from an array:

- `splice()` method
- `filter()` method
- `delete` operator
- `pop()` method
- `shift()` method
- `length` property

Let's start learning one by one by examples.

## Remove an item using `splice()` method

In JavaScript, we can use `splice()` method to remove an item.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
const removeItem = 4
const index = arr.indexOf(removeItem)
if (index > -1) {
  arr.splice(index, 1)
}
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5 ]
```

In the above example, we do not have duplicate items. Let's take another example with duplicate items.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4]
const removeItem = 4
const index = arr.indexOf(removeItem)
if (index > -1) {
  arr.splice(index, 1)
}
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5, 4 ]
```

Here, we can see that the duplicate item case is not getting handled. To handle the duplicate item case, we need to iterate over the array.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4]
const removeItem = 4
for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
  if (arr[i] === removeItem) {
    arr.splice(i, 1)
  }
}
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5 ]
```

Now, we can see that the duplicate item case is also getting handled.

It's time to create utility functions that can be used directly.

```javascript
function removeOneItem(arr, removeItem) {
  const index = arr.indexOf(removeItem)
  if (index > -1) {
    arr.splice(index, 1)
  }
  return arr
}

const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4]
const removeItem = 4
console.log(removeOneItem(arr, removeItem))
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5, 4 ]
```

```javascript
function removeAllItems(arr, removeItem) {
  for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
    if (arr[i] === removeItem) {
      arr.splice(i, 1)
    }
  }
  return arr
}

const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4]
const removeItem = 4
console.log(removeAllItems(arr, removeItem))
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5 ]
```

This way, we can use these utility functions `removeOneItem` and `removeAllItems`.

This way, we can use `splice()` to remove an item. Now, let's move on to the `filter()` method.

## Remove items using `filter()` method

In JavaScript, we can use `filter()` method to remove an item.

```javascript
let arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4]
const removeItem = 4
arr = arr.filter((item) => item != removeItem)
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 5 ]
```

When we use the `filter` method, the duplicate item case is also getting handled by default.

Next one is `delete()` operator.

## Remove an item using `delete()` operator

In JavaScript, we can use `delete()` operator to remove an item.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
const removeAtIndex = 3
delete arr[removeAtIndex]
console.log(arr)
// [1, 2, 3, empty, 5]
```

It is important to notice that we have an empty item at that removed index.

## Remove the last item using `pop()` method

`pop()` method can be used to remove the last item from an array.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
arr.pop()
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 4 ]
```

This was an example of using `pop()` method to remove the last item from an array. Similarly, we can use the `shift()` method to remove the item from the beginning of an array.

## Remove the item from the beginning using `shift()` method

`shift()` method can be used to remove the item from the beginning of an array in JavaScript.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
arr.shift()
console.log(arr)
// [ 2, 3, 4, 5 ]
```

This was an example of using `shift()` method to remove the item from the beginning of an array. Last one is `length` property.

## Remove items from the end using `length` property

In JavaScript, `length` property can be used to remove the items from the end of an array.

Here, we can provide the length of the array that will be left after the items removal.

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
arr.length = 4
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3, 4 ]
```

```javascript
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
arr.length = 3
console.log(arr)
// [ 1, 2, 3 ]
```

So, we understood how to remove items from an array in JavaScript.

That's it for now.

Thanks

[**Amit Shekhar**](https://amitshekhar.me)

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