# shift method

The `shift` method removes the first element from the array. In this case, the original array is modified, and the removed element is returned as the result of the method.

## Syntax

`array.shift();`

## Example

Let's remove the first element from an array:

`let arr = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']; arr.shift(); console.log(arr);`

The code execution result:

`['b', 'c', 'd', 'e']`

## Example

Let's remove the first element from an array and display it on the screen:

`let arr = ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']; let elem = arr.shift(); console.log(elem);`

The code execution result:

`'a'`

## Example . Usage

Let's convert an array into the string `'16-25-34'`. To solve the problem, we use a combination of `shift`, `pop`, `push` and `join` methods:

`let arr = ['1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6']; let res = []; while (arr.length > 0) { // array is reduced in a loop until it reaches zero let first = arr.shift(); let last = arr.pop(); let str = first + last; // there will be the string '16', then '25', then '34' res.push(str); } // After the loop, res contains the array ['16', '25', '34']. We merge it into a string: res = res.join('-'); console.log(res);`

The code execution result:

`'16-25-34'`

## See also

- the `pop` method
  that removes the last element of an array
- the `push` and `unshift` methods
  that add elements to an array
- the `join` method
  that concatenates the array elements into a string by specified separator

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