Why AngularJS Includes Empty Option in Select?

AngularJS includes an empty option in select to provide a default option that is initially selected when the user opens the dropdown menu. This behavior is particularly useful when the select element is bound to a model that initially has no value.

The empty option is also important when the select element is required. Without it, the user would not be able to submit the form unless they select an option, which could be confusing if they are not aware of the options available.

To remove the empty option, you can set the ng-options directive to start at index 0 instead of -1. This will prevent the empty option from being generated.

Overall, the inclusion of the empty option in select is a design decision made by the AngularJS team to provide better user experience and ensure the select element is fully functional.