I tried it, but delete doesn't work.

var x = {"y":42,"z":{"a":1,"b":[1,2,3]}};

alert(x.y);
delete x;

alert(x.y); // still shows '42'

How to delete the full object crossbrowser?

Edit: x = null also doesn't work

• javascript
• json
• object

You can only use the delete operator to delete variables declared implicitly, but not those declared with var. You can set x = null or x = undefined

You don't need to delete objects in JavaScript. The object will be garbage collected after all references to it are removed. To remove the reference, use:

x = null;

You cannot delete a variable or a function. Only a property of an object. You can simply assign:

x = null;

if you want to clear its value.

UPDATE: clarification regarding functions:

>> function f1() {console.log("aa");}
>> f1();
aa
>> delete f1;
false
>> f1();
aa

But if you declare a global function as a window attribute, you can delete it:

>> f1 = f1() {console.log("aa");}
>> delete window.f1;
true

The same is for variables:

>> a = "x";
>> console.log(a);
x
>> delete window.a;
true
>> console.log(a);
ReferenceError: a is not defined

But:

>> var a = "x";
>> console.log(a);
x
>> delete a;
false
>> console.log(a);
x

You can't delete an object from the global namespace in Javascript.

You can delete objects within x, but not x itself.

Try x = null; or x = undefined;.