Arrays in C++

What is an Array?

An array is a collection of elements, all of the same type, stored in a contiguous block of memory. This means that all elements are stored next to each other in memory, which makes accessing them very fast.

How Do Arrays Work?

Fixed Size: When you create an array, you need to specify its size, which is the number of elements it can hold. This size cannot be changed later.

Indexing: Each element in the array has an index, starting from 0 for the first element.

Accessing Elements: You can access any element in the array using its index. For example, if you have an array `arr` and you want to access the third element, you would use `arr[2]`.

Creating and Using Arrays in C++

Here’s a simple example to create and use an array in C++:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    // Create an array of 5 integers
    int numbers[5];

    // Assign values to each element
    numbers[0] = 10;
    numbers[1] = 20;
    numbers[2] = 30;
    numbers[3] = 40;
    numbers[4] = 50;

    // Access and print each element
    for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
        cout << "Element at index " << i << " is " << numbers[i] << endl;
    }

    return 0;
}

Output:

Element at index 0 is 10

Element at index 1 is 20

Element at index 2 is 30

Element at index 3 is 40

Element at index 4 is 50

Advantages of Arrays

Fast Access: Arrays allow fast access to elements using indices, which makes retrieval operations very efficient.

Simple to Use: Arrays are straightforward to declare, initialize, and use, making them ideal for beginners.

Limitations of Arrays

Fixed Size: Once an array is created, its size cannot be changed. This means you need to know in advance how many elements you will need.
Memory Usage: Arrays occupy a contiguous block of memory, which can be inefficient if the array is large or if there are many arrays.