Sending empty array to webapi

Question

I want to POST an empty javascript array [] to webAPI and have it create an empty list of integers. I also want it so if I post javascript null to webAPI that it assigns null to the list of integers.

JS:

var intArray = [];
$.ajax({
    type: 'POST',
    url: '/api/ListOfInts',
    data: {'' : intArray},
    dataType: 'json'
});

c# webapi

[HttpPost]
public void ListOfInts([FromBody]List<int> input)

Problem 1) Jquery refuses to send data {'' : []} as the post payload. As soon as I add something in the array it works such as {'' : [1,2,3]}

Problem 2) Passing empty js array to controller gives null Based on what i read even if I do get it to post an empty array, it will initialize the list as null. Discussed solutions have it so that the list is always initializes as empty but I don't want that. I want it to be null in some case (when null/undefined is sent to it) and when [] is sent it should initialize as empty.

Edit: See https://www.asp.net/web-api/overview/advanced/sending-html-form-data-part-1 about why I am using {'' : []}

Answer 1

Use JSON.stringify(intArray) and contentType: 'application/json' works for me:

$.ajax({
     url: "/api/values",
     method: "POST",
     contentType: 'application/json',
     data: JSON.stringify([])
});

$.ajax({
     url: "/api/values",
     method: "POST",
     contentType: 'application/json',
     data: null
});

$.ajax({
      url: "/api/values",
      method: "POST",
      contentType: 'application/json',
      data: JSON.stringify([1, 2, 3])
});