Arrays are foundational data structures in programming, allowing efficient storage and access of elements. Here's a quick overview:

🧾 What is an Array?

An array is a collection of elements stored in contiguous memory locations. Each element is accessed via an index, starting from 0.

  • Key Features:
    • Fixed size at declaration
    • Homogeneous data types
    • O(1) time complexity for access

📊 Operations on Arrays

Common operations include:

  1. Accessing elements (e.g., array[2])
  2. Inserting elements at specific positions
  3. Deleting elements
  4. Searching for elements
  5. Sorting elements

💡 Tip: Use arrays when you need fast access to elements by index. For dynamic resizing, consider linked lists.

📚 Practical Applications

  • Storing data: Like a list of student grades
  • Matrix operations: In mathematical computations
  • Image processing: Representing pixel grids
  • Memory management: Efficient data allocation

🖼️ Visual Examples

array_data_structure
array_operations

📝 Further Reading

Let me know if you need examples in specific programming languages! 🌐