What does the `splice()` method do in JavaScript?

The splice() method in JavaScript is primarily used for changing the contents of an array by removing, replacing, or adding elements at specific positions. When you invoke splice() on an array, you can specify the index at which to start changing the array, the number of elements to remove, and any new elements to add in their place.

For example, if you have an array and you want to remove a few elements or replace them with others without creating a new array, splice() allows you to do this directly. It modifies the original array and returns the removed elements as a new array. This flexibility in altering the array makes splice() a powerful tool in array manipulation.

The other options presented do not accurately describe what splice() does. Sorting an array would involve methods like sort(), merging arrays typically requires using the concat() method, and creating a shallow copy of an array can be done with methods like slice() or the spread operator. These distinctions reinforce the unique functionality of splice() in modifying an array’s contents.