# Drop Items

Drop first N items from array using lodash _.drop

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/drop-items

- **Category:** Data Processing

- **Keywords:** array, drop, remove, slice, truncate, lodash, prefix

## Overview

Remove a specified number of elements from the beginning of an array.

**Examples:**

- Input: `[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]`, Drop: `2` → `[3, 4, 5]`
- Input: `["a", "b", "c", "d"]`, Drop: `1` → `["b", "c", "d"]`
- Input: `[10, 20, 30, 40, 50]`, Drop: `3` → `[40, 50]`
- Input: `[1, 2, 3]`, Drop: `0` → `[1, 2, 3]` (no items dropped)
- Input: `[1, 2, 3]`, Drop: `10` → `[]` (drops all items)

**Use Cases:**
- Skip header rows in data arrays
- Remove initial configuration items
- Process arrays starting from a specific position
- Clean up prefix elements

## Inputs

- **Array Input** (textarea): Enter a valid JSON array
- **Number of Items to Drop** (number): How many items to remove from the beginning (0-10000)

## When to use

- When you need to skip header rows or prefix elements in data arrays.
- To remove initial configuration or setup items from a list before processing.
- When processing arrays from a specific position without manual slicing.

## How it works

- Enter a valid JSON array in the input field.
- Specify the number of items to drop from the beginning (default is 1).
- The tool applies lodash _.drop to remove the first N items.
- Output is the modified array with the specified items removed.

## Use cases

- Skipping header rows in CSV or data arrays for analysis.
- Removing initial setup elements from configuration lists.
- Processing time-series data from a specific starting point.

## Frequently asked questions

### What happens if I drop more items than the array length?

If n exceeds the array length, all items are dropped, resulting in an empty array.

### Can I drop zero items?

Yes, setting n to 0 returns the original array unchanged.

### What is the default value for n?

The default value for n is 1, meaning one item is dropped if not specified.

### Does this tool work with arrays containing different data types?

Yes, it works with any valid JSON array, including strings, numbers, or objects.

### Is the original array modified by this tool?

No, the tool returns a new array, leaving the original input unchanged.

## Related tools

- [Compact Array](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/compact-array): Remove falsey values from array using lodash _.compact
- [Drop Right Items](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/drop-right-items): Drop last N items from array using lodash _.dropRight
- [Pull Values](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/pull-values): Remove specific values from an array using lodash _.pull
- [Sorted Unique](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/sorted-unique): Remove duplicates from a sorted array using lodash _.sortedUniq
- [Sorted Unique By](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/sorted-unique-by): Remove duplicates from a sorted array using lodash _.sortedUniqBy
- [Uniq Array](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/uniq-array): Remove duplicates from an array using lodash _.uniq
- [Uniq By](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/uniq-by): Remove duplicates from an array using lodash _.uniqBy with a property path
- [Without Values](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/without-values): Remove specified values from an array using lodash _.without

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