Data Structures
C++ Arrays
Working with Arrays
C++ arrays are fixed-size typed collections with indexing.
Introduction to C++ Arrays
Arrays in C++ are a fundamental data structure that allows you to store a fixed-size sequential collection of elements of the same type. They are particularly useful for managing collections of data where the size is known at compile time.
Declaring and Initializing Arrays
You can declare an array by specifying the type of its elements, followed by the array name and its size in square brackets. Initialization can be done at the time of declaration.
Accessing Elements in an Array
Elements in an array are accessed using their index, starting from 0 for the first element. You can read or assign values using this index.
Iterating Over Arrays
To perform operations on arrays, you often use loops to iterate over each element. The most common loop for this purpose is the for loop.
Limitations of C++ Arrays
While arrays are simple to use, they come with limitations. The size of an array is fixed at compile time and cannot be changed. For dynamic sizing, you may consider using other data structures like vectors.
Best Practices
- Always ensure array indices are within bounds to prevent undefined behavior.
- Use constants or macros to define array sizes for better maintainability.
- Consider vectors for dynamic array requirements.
