JavaScript Array shift() Method

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The JavaScript Array shift() Method removes the first element of the array thus reducing the size of the original array by 1.

Syntax:

arr.shift()

Parameters: This method does not accept any parameter.

Return value: This function returns the removed first element of the array. If the array is empty then this function returns undefined.

Note: This function can also be used with other javascript objects that behave like the array.

Below is an example of the Array shift() method.

Example 1: In this example, the shift() method removes the first string element of the array, therefore it returns GFG.

JavaScript

function func() {
    // Original array
    let array = ["GFG", "Geeks", "for", "Geeks"];
 
    // Checking for condition in array
    let value = array.shift();
 
    console.log(value);
    console.log(array);
}
 
func();

Output:

GFG
Geeks, for, Geeks

Example 2: In this example, the shift() method removes the first element of the array, therefore it returns 34.

JavaScript

function func() {
 
    // Original array
    let array = [34, 234, 567, 4];
 
    // Checking for condition in array
    let value = array.shift();
 
    console.log(value);
    console.log(array);
}
func();

Output:

34
234,567,4

Example 3: In this example, the shift() method tries to remove the first element of the array, but the array is empty, therefore it returns undefined.

JavaScript

function func() {
 
    // Original array
    let array = [];
 
    // Checking for condition in array
    let value = array.shift();
 
    console.log(value);
    console.log(array);
}
func();

Output:

undefined

We have a complete list of Javascript Array methods, to check those please go through this Javascript Array Complete reference article.

Supported Browsers: The browsers supported by the JavaScript Array shift() method are listed below:

Google Chrome 1 and above
Edge 12 and above
Firefox 1 and above
Internet Explorer 5.5 and above
Opera 4 and above
Safari 1 and above

We have a Cheat Sheet on Javascript where we covered all the important topics of Javascript to check those please go through Javascript Cheat Sheet-A Basic guide to JavaScript.