When to use array instead of ArrayList?

ArrayList is growable as compared to Array and thus has advantage over array but about the other way round? Are there cases when normal array should be used instead of ArrayList?

Thanks

As you already pointed out the major difference between the 2 is the size. Array is fixed, ArrayList is growable. Furthermore, the API allows you to switch from array to list and vice versa.

If the number of elements is fixed, use an array. I don't know if memory can be a factor eg maybe array uses less memory on the stack and heap.

I prefer to use Arrays over ArrayLists whenever I know I am only going to work with a fixed number of elements. My reasons are mostly subjective, but I'm listing them here anyway:

Using Collection classes for primitives is appreciably slower since they have to use autoboxing and wrappers.

I prefer the more straightforward [] syntax for accessing elements over ArrayList's get(). This really becomes more important when I need multidimensional arrays.

ArrayLists usually allocate about twice the memory you need now in advance so that you can append items very fast. So there is wastage if you are never going to add any more items.

(Possibly related to the previous point) I think ArrayList accesses are slower than plain arrays in general. The ArrayList implementation uses an underlying array, but all accesses have to got through the get(), set(), remove(), etc. methods which means it goes through more code than a simple array access. But I have not actually tested the difference so I may be wrong.

Having said that, I think the choice actually depends on what you need it for. If you need a fixed number of elements or if you are going to use multiple dimensions, I would suggest a plain array. But if you need a simple random access list and are going to be making a lot of inserts and removals to it, it just make a lot more sense to just use an Arraylist

I recommend to use ArrayList almost whenever you want to use array.

Because it is just a wrapper around array that has all methods very efficient .

I remember I was using plain array and found myself writing my own ArrayList because of growing needs of my simple application.

ArrayList is really fast and protects you from turning around with concerns you meet when using plain array.

Also think of object oriented programing.
ArrayList should take care of your array but not your code which deals with its concerns.

By using plain array you will write in future your own ArrayList to separate concerns of your code and code that handles functionality of your array.

I will almost always use a List implementation (not always ArrayList) in place of arrays. Worrying about the extra memory it may consume is a micro-optimization that is almost always needless.

Also one of the great benefits of collection implementations is they give you a lot of flexibility. So depending on your need, you can have a List behave as an ArrayList or as a LinkedList and so on. Also if you look at the Collection API, you'd see you have methods for almost everything you'd ever need to do.

I'd always give preference to flexibility cause being able to adapt to change is an implied requirement almost always.

The concurrent API gives you multi-threading support and hence even more flexibility.

Another thing to consider might be Arrays.asList() and List.toArray() methods. As far as I remember Arrays.asList() makes the changes in both the array and the List whereas the Array you get after List.toArray() is an array that is unaffected by the changes to the source List. However I'm not sure about this last point. You might want to test it.

Thanks All.

I now know that arrayList consumes more memory than ArrayList.Iwill read more on that.

Bear Bibeault wrote

I will almost always use a List implementation (not always ArrayList) in place of arrays. Worrying about the extra memory it may consume is a micro-optimization that is almost always needless.

If developers almost always use ArrayList then why does Array also exist in Java.? If everything that array provides is provided by ArrayList with more advantages then why would array ever be used?

thanks again.

Because almost always isn't always.

Plain array exist in Java because ArrayList,ArrayDeque,HashMap,Stack,Vector uses plain java array.

Because almost always isn't always

What would be exception cases where arrays would be preferred over arrayList?

thanks

Plain array exist in Java because ArrayList,ArrayDeque,HashMap,Stack,Vector uses plain java array.

So arrayLists itself uses arrays internally.

thanks.

Off the top of my head, I'd use an array if I was setting up a static list of things. Also, many APIs expect or return arrays. Or, if I have any reason to think an array would make things clearer than a List.

To be Junior Java Developer you must know Java Core!

Please cover at least my tutorials on Java collections.

Thanks!

thanks all

Monica. Shiralkar wrote:Are there cases when normal array should be used instead of ArrayList?

You've had plenty of opinions, so here's mine:

When the number of elements MUST be fixed.

When memory is at a premium. An int[] is generally a LOT smaller than an ArrayList<Integer>.

When time is at a premium. values[x] is quicker than values.get(x) (but probably not as much quicker as you think).

When the cost of conversion (eg, int to/from Integer) is significant.

Other than that, like Volodymyr, I can't think of an earthly reason why you would use an array.

Winston

Monica. Shiralkar wrote:Are there cases when normal array should be used instead of ArrayList?

I missed one, and it's quite important:

When elements are sparse; ie, when removing an element doesn't affect the position of the others. This usually means that the array can't hold nulls.

This is a major difference between arrays and Lists. The only normal way to "remove" an element from an array is to set it to null or, in the case of a primitive array, to some value that can't possibly be "real". The indexes of other elements are not affected.

Winston

Thanks. I have a doubt. In array we can assign a a particular position by below syntax:

myArr[0]="hello";

Why we do not have such kind of syntax for assigning at particular position in arrayList? I know its possible by why no stratightforward syntax for doing this in arrayList.

thanks.

I'm sure there is a method for assigning an object to a particular entry of a List. It's true it isn't "syntax", but I don't think that calling a method is such a serious problem.

Why should ArrayList, out of the many Java collections, get special syntax in the language? Makes no sense.

Monica. Shiralkar wrote:Why we do not have such kind of syntax for assigning at particular position in arrayList?

You do: ArrayList.set(int, E), which even returns you the previous value at that position. The difference is that it only works within the current bounds of the List, and Lists are dynamic.

What you want (I think) is more akin to Map.put(K, V).

I suggest you read the API docs for all the major collection types, especially java.util.List, because it will probably answer most of your questions.

Winston

PS: There is one collection that works the way you want: BitSet; but it's highly specialized.

Thanks all

Sorry to step in so late, but I just read this topic.

A very simple example where you would use arrays over ArrayLists and the like is in board games.

In my chess and checkers program I simply use: int[][] board = new int[8][8].

I wouldn't dream of using:
ArrayList<ArrayList<Integer>> board = new ArrayList<>(); // and then there's the initializiing and filling the board
and then getting the piece on square a1 as:
int piece = board.get(0).get(0);