A custom widget designer uses a collection field with a TableView configuration similar to the following:

@TableView({ Reorderable: true, ColumnCount: 1, AllowEmptyState: true })
@DataType(ComplexType.Enumerable)
@DefaultValue([])

The field is expected to allow 0 to N items, but saving the widget with no rows still persists one default item in the array.

This can be observed as:

• The array always contains at least one element, even when saved empty
• The last row can be removed in the editor, but a new empty row is created again when the field initializes

This behavior applies to widget fields that use TableView together with ComplexType.Enumerable and DefaultValue([]).

With the initial configuration, this is the expected behavior.

To achieve a truly empty collection, configure the TableView decorator or attribute to use both AllowEmptyState: true and HideRowsIfEmpty: true.

1. Locate the collection field definition in the widget designer model.
2. Update the TableView configuration to include HideRowsIfEmpty: true.
   
   

TypeScript example:

@TableView({ Reorderable: true, ColumnCount: 1, AllowEmptyState: true, HideRowsIfEmpty: true })
@DataType(ComplexType.Enumerable)
@DefaultValue([])
items: ItemModel[] = [];

3. Save the widget designer changes and rebuild the project if required by the solution structure.
4. Open the widget editor and remove all rows from the collection field.
5. Save the widget.
6. Verify that the collection is persisted as an empty array instead of a single default item.
   
   

For .NET Core widget designers, apply the same configuration by setting both AllowEmptyState and HideRowsIfEmpty on the TableView attribute.