@stdlib/array/empty-like/README.md

Arrays.

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# emptyLike

> Create an uninitialized array having the same length and data type as a provided array.

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## Usage

```javascript
var emptyLike = require( '@stdlib/array/empty-like' );
```

#### emptyLike( x\[, dtype] )

Creates an uninitialized array having the same length and [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] as a provided array `x`.

```javascript
var x = [ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ];

var arr = emptyLike( x );
// returns [ 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 ];
```

By default, the output array [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes] is inferred from the provided array `x`. To return an array having a different [data type][@stdlib/array/dtypes], provide a `dtype` argument.

```javascript
var x = [ 1, 1 ];

var arr = emptyLike( x, 'int32' );
// returns <Int32Array>
```

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## Notes

-   In browser environments, the function always returns zero-filled arrays.
-   If `dtype` is `'generic'`, the function always returns a zero-filled array.
-   In Node.js versions `>=3.0.0`, the underlying memory of returned typed arrays is **not** initialized. Memory contents are unknown and may contain **sensitive** data.

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## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var dtypes = require( '@stdlib/array/dtypes' );
var zeros = require( '@stdlib/array/zeros' );
var emptyLike = require( '@stdlib/array/empty-like' );

// Create a zero-filled array:
var x = zeros( 4, 'complex128' );

// Get a list of array data types:
var dt = dtypes();

// Generate empty arrays...
var arr;
var i;
for ( i = 0; i < dt.length; i++ ) {
    arr = emptyLike( x, dt[ i ] );
    console.log( arr );
}
```

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* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/empty`][@stdlib/array/empty]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an uninitialized array having a specified length.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/full-like`][@stdlib/array/full-like]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create a filled array having the same length and data type as a provided array.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/ones-like`][@stdlib/array/ones-like]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an array filled with ones and having the same length and data type as a provided array.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/array/zeros-like`][@stdlib/array/zeros-like]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create a zero-filled array having the same length and data type as a provided array.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/ndarray/empty-like`][@stdlib/ndarray/empty-like]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">create an uninitialized ndarray having the same shape and data type as a provided ndarray.</span>

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[@stdlib/array/dtypes]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/dtypes

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[@stdlib/array/empty]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/empty

[@stdlib/array/full-like]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/full-like

[@stdlib/array/ones-like]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/ones-like

[@stdlib/array/zeros-like]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/array/tree/main/zeros-like

[@stdlib/ndarray/empty-like]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-empty-like

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