example5.js

<input type="text" name="datefilter" value="" />

<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {

  $('input[name="datefilter"]').daterangepicker({
      autoUpdateInput: false,
      locale: {
          cancelLabel: 'Clear'
      }
  });

  $('input[name="datefilter"]').on('apply.daterangepicker', function(ev, picker) {
      $(this).val(picker.startDate.format('MM/DD/YYYY') + ' - ' + picker.endDate.format('MM/DD/YYYY'));
  });

  $('input[name="datefilter"]').on('cancel.daterangepicker', function(ev, picker) {
      $(this).val('');
  });

});
</script>

If this is supposed to start with a blank date, why does:

$('input[name="datefilter"]').data('daterangepicker').startDate.format('YYYY-MM-DD');

return today's date instead of null?