# Compact Array

Remove falsey values from array using lodash _.compact

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/compact-array

- **Category:** Data Processing

- **Keywords:** array, compact, clean, filter, remove, falsey, lodash

## Overview

## Array Compaction Tool

This tool removes falsey values from arrays using Lodash's `_.compact` method.

**Falsey values removed:**
- `false`
- `null`
- `0`
- `""` (empty string)
- `undefined`
- `NaN`

**Example:**
```json
Input:  [0, 1, false, 2, "", 3, null, 4, undefined, 5, NaN]
Output: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
```

**Options:**
- **Preserve Zeros**: Keep zero values in the array
- **Preserve Empty Strings**: Keep empty strings in the array

## Inputs

- **JSON Array** (textarea): Enter a JSON array to compact
- **Preserve Zeros** (checkbox): Keep zero (0) values in the array
- **Preserve Empty Strings** (checkbox): Keep empty string ("") values in the array

## When to use

- When you have an array with mixed data types and need to filter out invalid or empty entries.
- Before performing data analysis or visualization to ensure only meaningful values are included.
- When cleaning user input or API responses that may contain falsey values.

## How it works

- Enter a valid JSON array into the input field.
- Optionally, check 'Preserve Zeros' to keep zero values or 'Preserve Empty Strings' to keep empty strings.
- Click the compact button to generate a new array with falsey values removed.
- The output is displayed as a JSON array ready for use.

## Use cases

- Cleaning data arrays from databases or APIs for further processing.
- Preprocessing arrays in data pipelines to remove noise and invalid entries.
- Simplifying JavaScript arrays by eliminating unnecessary falsey values.

## Frequently asked questions

### What falsey values are removed?

The tool removes false, null, 0, empty strings, undefined, and NaN.

### Can I keep zero values in the array?

Yes, enable the 'Preserve Zeros' option to retain zeros.

### How do I preserve empty strings?

Check the 'Preserve Empty Strings' option before compacting.

### What input format is required?

The input must be a valid JSON array, e.g., [1, null, 2, false, 3].

### Is the output a new array?

Yes, the tool returns a new array with falsey values removed, leaving the original unchanged.

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