Clear dropdown using jQuery Select2

This works for me:

 $remote.select2('data', {id: null, text: null})

It also works with jQuery validate when you clear it that way.

-- edit 2013-04-09

At the time of writing this response, it was the only way. With recent patches, a proper and better way is now available.

$remote.select2('data', null)

In case of Select2 Version 4+

it has changed syntax and you need to write like this:

// clear all option
$('#select_with_blank_data').html('').select2({data: [{id: '', text: ''}]});

// clear and add new option
$("#select_with_data").html('').select2({data: [
 {id: '', text: ''},
 {id: '1', text: 'Facebook'},
 {id: '2', text: 'Youtube'},
 {id: '3', text: 'Instagram'},
 {id: '4', text: 'Pinterest'}]});

This is the proper one, select2 will clear the selected value and show the placeholder back .

$remote.select2('data', null)

For select2 version 4 easily use this:

$('#remote').empty();

After populating select element with ajax call, you may need this line of code in the success section to update the content:

  success: function(data, textStatus, jqXHR){
  $('#remote').change();
                } 

Using select2 version 4 you can use this short notation:

$('#remote').html('').select2({data: {id:null, text: null}});

This passes a json array with null id and text to the select2 on creation but first, with .html('') empties the previously stored results.