array.pop

The pop() method removes the last element from an array and returns that element. This method changes the length of the array.

var a = [1, 2, 3];
a.pop();

console.log(a); // [1, 2]

Syntax

arr.pop()

Return value

The removed element from the array; undefined if the array is empty.

Description

The pop method removes the last element from an array and returns that value to the caller.

pop is intentionally generic; this method can be called or applied to objects resembling arrays. Objects which do not contain a length property reflecting the last in a series of consecutive, zero-based numerical properties may not behave in any meaningful manner.

If you call pop() on an empty array, it returns undefined.

Examples

Removing the last element of an array

The following code creates the myFish array containing four elements, then removes its last element.

var myFish = ['angel', 'clown', 'mandarin', 'sturgeon'];

var popped = myFish.pop();

console.log(myFish); // ['angel', 'clown', 'mandarin' ] 

console.log(popped); // 'sturgeon'

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
ECMAScript 3rd Edition (ECMA-262)	Standard	Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.2.
ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262) The definition of 'Array.prototype.pop' in that specification.	Standard
ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262) The definition of 'Array.prototype.pop' in that specification.	Standard
ECMAScript 2017 Draft (ECMA-262) The definition of 'Array.prototype.pop' in that specification.	Draft

Browser compatibility

See also

• Array.prototype.push()
• Array.prototype.shift()
• Array.prototype.unshift()
• Array.prototype.concat()
• Array.prototype.splice()