shift - remove the first element of an array, and return it

- NAME
- SYNOPSIS
- DESCRIPTION

# NAME

shift - remove the first element of an array, and return it

# SYNOPSIS

shift ARRAY

shift

# DESCRIPTION

Shifts the first value of the array off and returns it, shortening the array by 1 and moving everything down. If there are no elements in the array, returns the undefined value. If ARRAY is omitted, shifts the `@_` array within the lexical scope of subroutines and formats, and the `@ARGV` array at file scopes or within the lexical scopes established by the `eval ''`, `BEGIN {}`, `INIT {}`, `CHECK {}`, and `END {}` constructs.

See also `unshift`, `push`, and `pop`. `shift` and `unshift` do the same thing to the left end of an array that `pop` and `push` do to the right end.

shift - remove the first element of an array, and return it