Difference between Array and String

Last Updated on July 5, 2024 by Abhishek Sharma

In programming, arrays and strings are fundamental data structures used to store and manipulate collections of data. While they may seem similar, they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics that are important to understand. This article explores the differences between arrays and strings, their usage scenarios, and common questions related to their manipulation and handling in various programming languages.

What is an Array?

An array is a data structure that stores a collection of similar data types in contiguous memory locations. In other words, it’s a collection of elements of the same type that are stored in a continuous block of memory. Arrays are used to store and manipulate large sets of data and are commonly used in programming languages like Java, C, C++, and Python.

Arrays can be one-dimensional, two-dimensional, or multi-dimensional, depending on the number of indices they have. Each element in an array is accessed by its index, which is an integer value representing its position in the array. Arrays are mutable, which means you can modify their values at any time.

Code Implementation

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
  // Declare an array of integers
  int numbers[5] = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10};

  // Print the entire array
  cout << "The array is: ";
  for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    cout << numbers[i] << " ";
  }
  cout << endl;

  // Access the third element (index 2) and print it
  cout << "The third element is: " << numbers[2] << endl;

  // Change the value of the fourth element (index 3)
  numbers[3] = 12;

  // Print the modified array
  cout << "The modified array is: ";
  for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    cout << numbers[i] << " ";
  }
  cout << endl;

  // Calculate the sum of all elements in the array
  int total = 0;
  for(int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    total += numbers[i];
  }
  cout << "The sum of all elements is: " << total << endl;

  return 0;
}

Output

The array is: 2 4 6 8 10 
The third element is: 6
The modified array is: 2 4 6 12 10 
The sum of all elements is: 34

Explanation
In this example, we declare an array of integers named numbers with 5 elements. Here’s an explanation of the code:
int numbers[5] = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}; is how you create an array of integers in C++. We declare an array with the name numbers and 5 elements. The initial values of the elements are {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}. The for loops are used to iterate through the array and perform the desired operations. Cout is used to output the results to the console.

In this example, we printed the entire array, accessed and printed the third element (which is 6), changed the value of the fourth element to 12, printed the modified array, and calculated the sum of all elements in the array (which is 34).

What is a String?

A string is a sequence of characters that represent a text value. It’s a data type used to store a collection of characters or symbols, such as letters, digits, and punctuation marks. Strings are often used in programming languages for input and output operations, such as reading data from a file or displaying output on a screen.

Strings are immutable, which means that once they are created, their values cannot be modified. You can concatenate two or more strings to create a new string, but you cannot change the original strings.

Code Implementation

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main() {
  // Declare a string variable
  string greeting = "Hello, world!";

  // Print the string
  cout << greeting << endl;

  // Get the length of the string
  int length = greeting.length();
  cout << "The length of the string is: " << length << endl;

  // Access the third character (index 2) and print it
  char thirdChar = greeting[2];
  cout << "The third character is: " << thirdChar << endl;

  // Modify the string
  greeting[7] = 'W';
  cout << "The modified string is: " << greeting << endl;

  // Concatenate two strings
  string name = "in prepbytes ";
  string message = "Welcome, " + name + "!";
  cout << message << endl;

  return 0;
}

Output

Hello, world!
The length of the string is: 13
The third character is: l
The modified string is: Hello, World!
Welcome, in prepbytes !

Explanation
In this example, we declare a string variable named greeting and assign it the value "Hello, world!". Here’s an explanation of the code:
string greeting = "Hello, world!"; is how you create a string variable in C++. We declare a string with the name greeting and the value "Hello, world!".
cout is used to output the results to the console. A string is a C++ library that allows you to work with strings. In this example, we printed the string, got the length of the string (which is 13), accessed and printed the third character (which is l), modified the string by changing the eighth character to ‘W’, concatenated two strings ("Welcome, " and "in prepbytes "), and printed the concatenated string.

Difference between Array and String

Here we have the difference between array and string

Conclusion
Understanding the distinctions between arrays and strings is crucial for effective programming. Arrays provide flexibility in managing collections of homogeneous data elements, whereas strings specialize in handling textual data with methods tailored for character manipulation. By leveraging their unique characteristics, developers can optimize data handling and improve program efficiency.

Frequently Asked Question Related to Arrays and Strings

Here we have FAQs on the difference between array and string

1. Can arrays store strings in programming languages?
Answer: Yes, arrays can store strings along with other data types like integers and floats. Arrays provide a structured way to store collections of homogeneous data elements, including strings.

2. How are arrays and strings stored in memory?
Answer: Arrays store elements sequentially in contiguous memory locations. Strings, which are sequences of characters, may be stored similarly in some languages, but their internal representation and memory management can vary based on string immutability and encoding.

3. Can arrays and strings be resized dynamically?
Answer: Arrays can often be resized dynamically in languages that support dynamic memory allocation. Strings, due to their immutability in many languages, typically require creating new instances when resizing or modifying content.

4. How are arrays and strings accessed in programming?
Answer: Arrays are accessed using index values that denote the position of elements within the array. Strings are accessed character by character, often using methods provided by the programming language to manipulate or iterate over their content.

5. Are arrays and strings mutable?
Answer: Arrays are mutable in the sense that individual elements can be modified after initialization. Strings, however, are often immutable, meaning their content cannot be changed once created. Operations that appear to modify a string typically create a new string instance.