A Dynamic Array is a versatile linear data structure that shares the same characteristics as Static Arrays, but it can dynamically resize itself to accommodate more elements. This flexibility makes dynamic arrays ideal for applications where the number of elements is not known in advance.
Core Characteristics
- Can dynamically resize to accommodate more elements
- Elements stored in contiguous memory locations
- Provides constant-time access to any element using indexing
- Efficient for scenarios where the number of elements changes frequently
Key Operations
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Push() This operation adds a new element to the end of the array. If the array is full, it resizes by allocating a new array with double the capacity and copying existing elements. Complexity: O(1) - Constant time operation
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Pop() This operation removes the last element of the array. This operation is straightforward and efficient, requiring only a single memory operation. Complexity: O(1) - Constant time operation
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Insert() This operation adds an element at a specific position by a given index. To accomplish this, elements on the right side of the desired position must be shifted to the right before the new element is inserted. Complexity: O(n) - Linear time operation
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Delete() This operation removes an element from a specific position by a given index. This requires shifting elements on the right side to the left to fill the gap. Complexity: O(n) - Linear time operation
Common Applications
- Dynamic data storage where size is not fixed
- Implementation of data structures like stacks and queues
- Buffer implementations that require resizing
- Handling collections of items with varying sizes
- Efficiently managing lists in applications with frequent insertions and deletions