Arrays in C++

Arrays are a fundamental part of C++ programming. They allow you to store multiple values of the same data type under a single variable name. Whether you're managing a list of numbers or a collection of strings, arrays help organize data efficiently.

What is an Array?

An array is a collection of variables that are accessed with an index number. In C++, arrays have a fixed size and can store data elements of the same type.

Declaring an Array in C++

You can declare an array by specifying the type, name, and size:

int numbers[5]; // declares an array of 5 integers
  

This creates an array named numbers that can store 5 integer values (from index 0 to 4).

Initializing an Array

Arrays can be initialized during declaration:

int numbers[5] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
  

If you provide fewer values than the array size, the remaining elements are set to zero by default.

Accessing Array Elements

Each element in an array can be accessed using its index. Remember, indexing starts at 0.

cout << numbers[2]; // Outputs 30
  

Changing Array Elements

You can modify array elements using the index as well:

numbers[1] = 25; // changes the second element to 25
  

Looping Through an Array

Arrays are often used with loops to process each element:

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    cout << numbers[i] << "\n";
}
  

Multidimensional Arrays

C++ also supports multidimensional arrays like 2D arrays (array of arrays):

int matrix[2][3] = {
  {1, 2, 3},
  {4, 5, 6}
};
  

You can access elements using two indexes:

cout << matrix[1][2]; // Outputs 6
  

Benefits of Using Arrays

• Efficient storage of related data
• Quick access to elements via index
• Easy to iterate using loops
• Good for storing fixed-size collections

Conclusion

Arrays in C++ are essential for managing collections of data. By learning how to declare, initialize, and work with arrays, you lay the foundation for handling larger and more complex data structures in C++.