Int Array created as empty instead of null

In a monobehaviour class I had

Code (CSharp):

1.     /// <summary>
2.     /// All current assigned bounties
3.     /// </summary>
4.     [HideInInspector]
5.     public int[] Bounties = null;
6.  

Using debugger I looked at Bounties in the Awake() function and it was set to int[0] which is an empty array but not null! I could set it to null there and it was fine after that.

What is going on?

 

All classes except UnityEngine.Object are serialized as structs, i.e. class won't be null, it will have all fields as default. Array will be an empty array. You can use property instead of [HideInInspector] field, it isn't serialized and will be null.

 

Note that HideInInspector will just hide the field but still serialize it. If you don't that that field to be serialized you have to use "System.NonSerialized". Over here I once posted a table to give an overview of the available attributes and how they are combined.