diff --git a/lib/std/array_hash_map.zig b/lib/std/array_hash_map.zig
index eb31d1cae3de..78be76fb315d 100644
--- a/lib/std/array_hash_map.zig
+++ b/lib/std/array_hash_map.zig
@@ -538,6 +538,12 @@ pub fn ArrayHashMapUnmanaged(
         /// Used to detect memory safety violations.
         pointer_stability: std.debug.SafetyLock = .{},
 
+        /// A map containing no keys or values.
+        pub const empty: Self = .{
+            .entries = .{},
+            .index_header = null,
+        };
+
         /// Modifying the key is allowed only if it does not change the hash.
         /// Modifying the value is allowed.
         /// Entry pointers become invalid whenever this ArrayHashMap is modified,
diff --git a/lib/std/array_list.zig b/lib/std/array_list.zig
index 2510973692fa..24098a01f6e8 100644
--- a/lib/std/array_list.zig
+++ b/lib/std/array_list.zig
@@ -618,6 +618,8 @@ pub fn ArrayListUnmanaged(comptime T: type) type {
 /// Functions that potentially allocate memory accept an `Allocator` parameter.
 /// Initialize directly or with `initCapacity`, and deinitialize with `deinit`
 /// or use `toOwnedSlice`.
+///
+/// Default initialization of this struct is deprecated; use `.empty` instead.
 pub fn ArrayListAlignedUnmanaged(comptime T: type, comptime alignment: ?u29) type {
     if (alignment) |a| {
         if (a == @alignOf(T)) {
@@ -638,6 +640,12 @@ pub fn ArrayListAlignedUnmanaged(comptime T: type, comptime alignment: ?u29) typ
         /// additional memory.
         capacity: usize = 0,
 
+        /// An ArrayList containing no elements.
+        pub const empty: Self = .{
+            .items = &.{},
+            .capacity = 0,
+        };
+
         pub const Slice = if (alignment) |a| ([]align(a) T) else []T;
 
         pub fn SentinelSlice(comptime s: T) type {
diff --git a/lib/std/hash_map.zig b/lib/std/hash_map.zig
index 1c8a5d78afb9..7d7b2739c320 100644
--- a/lib/std/hash_map.zig
+++ b/lib/std/hash_map.zig
@@ -721,6 +721,8 @@ pub fn HashMap(
 /// the price of handling size with u32, which should be reasonable enough
 /// for almost all uses.
 /// Deletions are achieved with tombstones.
+///
+/// Default initialization of this struct is deprecated; use `.empty` instead.
 pub fn HashMapUnmanaged(
     comptime K: type,
     comptime V: type,
@@ -762,6 +764,13 @@ pub fn HashMapUnmanaged(
         /// Capacity of the first grow when bootstrapping the hashmap.
         const minimal_capacity = 8;
 
+        /// A map containing no keys or values.
+        pub const empty: Self = .{
+            .metadata = null,
+            .size = 0,
+            .available = 0,
+        };
+
         // This hashmap is specially designed for sizes that fit in a u32.
         pub const Size = u32;
 
diff --git a/lib/std/heap/general_purpose_allocator.zig b/lib/std/heap/general_purpose_allocator.zig
index 61e256d29097..b760c9d85de4 100644
--- a/lib/std/heap/general_purpose_allocator.zig
+++ b/lib/std/heap/general_purpose_allocator.zig
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ pub const Config = struct {
 
 pub const Check = enum { ok, leak };
 
+/// Default initialization of this struct is deprecated; use `.init` instead.
 pub fn GeneralPurposeAllocator(comptime config: Config) type {
     return struct {
         backing_allocator: Allocator = std.heap.page_allocator,
@@ -174,6 +175,16 @@ pub fn GeneralPurposeAllocator(comptime config: Config) type {
 
         const Self = @This();
 
+        /// The initial state of a `GeneralPurposeAllocator`, containing no allocations and backed by the system page allocator.
+        pub const init: Self = .{
+            .backing_allocator = std.heap.page_allocator,
+            .buckets = [1]Buckets{.{}} ** small_bucket_count,
+            .cur_buckets = [1]?*BucketHeader{null} ** small_bucket_count,
+            .large_allocations = .{},
+            .empty_buckets = if (config.retain_metadata) .{} else {},
+            .bucket_node_pool = .init(std.heap.page_allocator),
+        };
+
         const total_requested_bytes_init = if (config.enable_memory_limit) @as(usize, 0) else {};
         const requested_memory_limit_init = if (config.enable_memory_limit) @as(usize, math.maxInt(usize)) else {};