---
title: Nil
description: Data type representing non-existence or nothingness.
---

In Luau, `nil` represents non-existence or nothingness. It's different from any other value or data type. You can use it to destroy a variable or remove a value in a table. It's the only value other than `false` which doesn't evaluate to [`true`](./booleans.md).

Luau has a **garbage collector** that removes data that is no longer accessible by any script. For best performance, redefine large variables as `nil` in long-running scripts when you don't need them anymore so the garbage collector removes them.

```lua
local variableToDelete = 5
print(variableToDelete) -- 5
variableToDelete = nil
print(variableToDelete) -- nil

local dictionaryTable = {
	Monday = 1,
	Tuesday = 2,
	Wednesday = 3
}
-- Output value of 'Tuesday' key
print(dictionaryTable.Tuesday) -- 2
-- Clear 'Tuesday' key
dictionaryTable.Tuesday = nil
-- Output value of key again
print(dictionaryTable.Tuesday) -- nil
```

You can use `nil` to clear some properties of objects. For example, you can set the `Parent` of an object to `nil` to effectively remove the object from the experience. To return the object to the experience after you remove it, reassign the `Parent`. The following example demonstrates how to use `nil` to remove a `Class.Part`:

```lua
local Workspace = game:GetService("Workspace")

-- Create a new brick
local part = Instance.new("Part")
-- Parent new part to the workspace, making it viewable
part.Parent = Workspace
task.wait(1)
-- Remove the part from view but not from memory
part.Parent = nil
task.wait(1)
-- Part still exists because it's referenced by the variable "part", so it can be returned to view
part.Parent = Workspace
task.wait(1)
-- Remove the part from view again
part.Parent = nil
-- Clear part reference so it gets picked up by the garbage collector
part = nil
```