Dynamic arrays are a type of data structure that allows for the automatic resizing of arrays during runtime, adapting to the changing needs of the program. Unlike static arrays, which have a fixed size determined at compile time, dynamic arrays can grow or shrink in size as needed. This flexibility makes dynamic arrays a powerful tool for managing collections of data where the total number of elements may not be known in advance or can change over time.
Advantages of Dynamic Arrays
Efficiency in Memory Usage: Dynamic arrays allocate memory only for the elements they contain, making them more memory-efficient compared to fixed-size arrays. This is because they can adjust their size during runtime, ensuring that only the necessary amount of memory is used.
Ease of Use: They provide built-in methods for adding, removing, and accessing elements, simplifying their usage. This makes dynamic arrays user-friendly, as they abstract away the complexity involved in manually managing array capacities.
Fast Random Access: Dynamic arrays allow for fast random access of elements using index numbers. This means that any element in the array can be directly accessed in constant time, making retrieval operations quick and efficient[17].
Flexibility: The ability to grow or shrink as needed allows dynamic arrays to adapt to changing data requirements. This flexibility is particularly useful in scenarios where the amount of data is not known in advance or can vary significantly[18].
Disadvantages of Dynamic Arrays
Memory Wastage: Dynamic arrays may waste more memory than linked lists because they need to allocate extra space to accommodate future growth. This pre-allocation can lead to unused memory if the array does not grow to its full capacity[1].
Time-Consuming Resizing Operations: When a dynamic array's capacity is exceeded, it needs to be resized—usually by creating a new, larger array and copying the elements from the old array to the new one. This operation can be time-consuming, especially for large arrays[1]...
