How to remove the first element of an array in JavaScript

Last updated on Nov 17, 2020 by Suraj Sharma



In this tutorial, you will learn two different ways to remove the first element of an array in JavaScript.



1. Using Array.shift() method


The shift() method removes the first element of an array, it updates the original array.


Example:



const arr = [1,2,3,4];

arr.shift() // returns 3 (length of arr)

console.log(arr) // [2,3,4]


2. Using Array destructuring


You can use array spread operator(...) and array destructuring to create a new array with the first element removed.


Example:



const [firstElement, ...restArr] = [1,2,3,4];

// restArr is a new array without the firstElement

console.log(restArr) // [2,3,4]

console.log(firstElement) // 1


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Suraj Sharma is a Full Stack Software Engineer. He holds a B.Tech degree in Computer Science & Engineering from NIT Rourkela.