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How to Manipulate Arrays in JavaScript

This tutorial will show you various methods of manipulating arrays in JavaScript. Learn how to manipulate JavaScript Arrays

An important part of any programming language. Most times we need to do several operations on arrays, hence this article.

In this article, I would show you various methods of manipulating arrays in JavaScript [^^]

What are Arrays in JavaScript?

Before we proceed, you need to understand what arrays really mean.

In JavaScript, an array is a variable that is used to store different data types. It basically stores different elements in one box and can be later assesssed with the variable.

Declaring an array:

let myBox = [];   // Initial Array declaration in JS

Arrays can contain multiple data types

let myBox = ['hello', 1, 2, 3, true, 'hi'];

Arrays can be manipulated by using several actions known as methods. Some of these methods allow us to add, remove, modify and do lots more to arrays.

I would be showing you a few in this article, let’s roll :)

NB: I used Arrow functions in this post, If you don’t know what this means, you should read here. Arrow function is an ES6 feature.

toString()

The JavaScript method toString() converts an array to a string separated by a comma.

let colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue'];

console.log(colors.toString()); // green,yellow,blue

join()

The JavaScript join() method combines all array elements into a string.

It is similar to toString() method, but here you can specify the separator instead of the default comma.

let colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue'];

console.log(colors.join('-')); // green-yellow-blue

concat

This method combines two arrays together or add more items to an array and then return a new array.

let firstNumbers = [1, 2, 3];
let secondNumbers = [4, 5, 6];
let merged = firstNumbers.concat(secondNumbers);
console.log(merged); // [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

push()

This method adds items to the end of an array and changes the original array.

let browsers = ['chrome', 'firefox', 'edge'];
browsers.push('safari', 'opera mini');
console.log(browsers); 
// ["chrome", "firefox", "edge", "safari", "opera mini"]

pop()

This method removes the last item of an array and returns it.

let browsers = ['chrome', 'firefox', 'edge'];
browsers.pop(); // "edge"
console.log(browsers); // ["chrome", "firefox"]

shift()

This method removes the first item of an array and returns it.

let browsers = ['chrome', 'firefox', 'edge'];
browsers.shift(); // "chrome"
console.log(browsers); // ["firefox", "edge"]

unshift()

This method adds an item(s) to the beginning of an array and changes the original array.

let browsers = ['chrome', 'firefox', 'edge'];
browsers.unshift('safari');
console.log(browsers); //  ["safari", "chrome", "firefox", "edge"]

You can also add multiple items at once

splice()

This method changes an array, by adding, removing and inserting elements.

The syntax is:

array.splice(index[, deleteCount, element1, ..., elementN])
  • Index here is the starting point for removing elements in the array
  • deleteCount is the number of elements to be deleted from that index
  • element1, …, elementN is the element(s) to be added

Removing items

after running splice() , it returns the array with the item(s) removed and removes it from the original array.

let colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue', 'purple'];
colors.splice(0, 3);
console.log(colors); // ["purple"]
// deletes ["green", "yellow", "blue"]

NB: The deleteCount does not include the last index in range.

If the second parameter is not declared, every element starting from the given index will be removed from the array:

let colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue', 'purple'];
colors.splice(3);
console.log(colors); // ["green", "yellow", "blue"]
// deletes ['purple']

In the next example we will remove 3 elements from the array and replace them with more items:

let schedule = ['I', 'have', 'a', 'meeting', 'tommorrow'];
// removes 4 first elements and replace them with another
schedule.splice(0, 4, 'we', 'are', 'going', 'to', 'swim');
console.log(schedule); 
// ["we", "are", "going", "to", "swim", "tommorrow"]

Adding items

To add items, we need to set the deleteCount to zero

let schedule = ['I', 'have', 'a', 'meeting', 'with'];
// adds 3 new elements to the array
schedule.splice(5, 0, 'some', 'clients', 'tommorrow');
console.log(schedule); 
// ["I", "have", "a", "meeting", "with", "some", "clients", "tommorrow"]

slice()

This method is similar to splice() but very different. It returns subarrays instead of substrings.

This method copies a given part of an array and returns that copied part as a new array. It does not change the original array.

The syntax is:

array.slice(start, end)

Here’s a basic example:

let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4]
numbers.slice(0, 3)
// returns [1, 2, 3]
console.log(numbers) // returns the original array

The best way to use slice() is to assign it to a new variable.

let message = 'congratulations'
const abbrv = message.slice(0, 7) + 's!'; 
console.log(abbrv) // returns "congrats!"

split()

This method is used for strings. It divides a string into substrings and returns them as an array.

Here’s the syntax:string.split(separator, limit);

  • The separator here defines how to split a string either by a comma.
  • The limit determines the number of splits to be carried out
let firstName = 'Bolaji';
// return the string as an array
firstName.split() // ["Bolaji"]

another example:

let firstName = 'hello, my name is bolaji, I am a dev.';
firstName.split(',', 2); // ["hello", " my name is bolaji"]

NB: If we declare an empty array, like this  firstName.split(''); then each item in the string will be divided as substrings:

let firstName = 'Bolaji';
firstName.split('') // ["B", "o", "l", "a", "j", "i"]

indexOf()

This method looks for an item in an array and returns the index where it was found else it returns -1

let fruits = ['apple', 'orange', false, 3]
fruits.indexOf('orange'); // returns 1
fruits.indexOf(3); // returns 3
friuts.indexOf(null); // returns -1 (not found)

lastIndexOf()

This method works the same way indexOf() does except that it works from right to left. It returns the last index where the item was found

let fruits = ['apple', 'orange', false, 3, 'apple']
fruits.lastIndexOf('apple'); // returns 4

filter()

This method creates a new array if the items of an array pass a certain condition.

The syntax is:

let results = array.filter(function(item, index, array) {
  // returns true if the item passes the filter
});

Example:

Checks users from Nigeria

const countryCode = ['+234', '+144', '+233', '+234'];
const nigerian = countryCode.filter( code => code === '+234');
console.log(nigerian); // ["+234", "+234"]

map()

This method creates a new array by manipulating the values in an array.

Example:

Displays usernames on a page. (Basic friend list display)

const userNames = ['tina', 'danny', 'mark', 'bolaji'];
const display = userNames.map(item => {
return '<li>' + item + '</li>';
})
const render = '<ul>' + display.join('') + '</ul>';
document.write(render);

1*obuBZKFb5vKmUP7D4TX2XA

another example:

// adds dollar sign to numbers
const numbers = [10, 3, 4, 6];
const dollars = numbers.map( number => '$' + number);
console.log(dollars);
// ['$10', '$3', '$4', '$6'];

reduce()

This method is good for calculating totals.

reduce() is used to calculate a single value based on an array.

let value = array.reduce(function(previousValue, item, index, array) {
  // ...
}, initial);

example:

To loop through an array and sum all numbers in the array up, we can use the for of loop.

const numbers = [100, 300, 500, 70];
let sum = 0;
for (let n of numbers) {
sum += n;
}
console.log(sum);

Here’s how to do same with reduce()

const numbers = [100, 300, 500, 70];
const sum = numbers.reduce((accummulator, value) =>
accummulator + value
, 0);
console.log(sum); // 970

If you omit the initial value, the total will by default start from the first item in the array.

const numbers = [100, 300, 500, 70];
const sum = numbers.reduce((accummulator, value) => accummulator + value);
console.log(sum); // still returns 970

The snippet below shows how the reduce() method works with all four arguments.

source: MDN Docs

1*Cbd9qR_vy71qZjEQCFpCLQ

More insights into the reduce() method and various ways of using it can be found here and here.

forEach()

This method is good for iterating through an array.

It applies a function on all items in an array

const colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue'];
colors.forEach((item, index) => console.log(index, item));
// returns the index and the every item in the array
// 0 "green"
// 1 "yellow"
// 2 "blue"

iteration can be done without passing the index argument

const colors = ['green', 'yellow', 'blue'];
colors.forEach((item) => console.log(item));
// returns every item in the array
// "green"
// "yellow"
// "blue"

every()

This method checks if all items in an array pass the specified condition and returntrue if passed, else false.

check if all numbers are positive

const numbers = [1, -1, 2, 3];
let allPositive = numbers.every((value) => {
return value >= 0;
})
console.log(allPositive); // would return false

some()

This method checks if an item (one or more) in an array pass the specified condition and return true if passed, else false.

checks if at least one number is positive

const numbers = [1, -1, 2, 3];
let atLeastOnePositive = numbers.some((value) => {
return value >= 0;
})
console.log(atLeastOnePositive); // would return true

includes()

This method checks if an array contains a certain item. It is similar to .some(), but instead of looking for a specific condition to pass, it checks if the array contains a specific item.

let users = ['paddy', 'zaddy', 'faddy', 'baddy'];
users.includes('baddy'); // returns true

If the item is not found, it returns false


There are more array methods, this is just a few of them. Also, there are tons of other actions that can be performed on arrays, try checking MDN docs herefor deeper insights.

Summary

  • toString() converts an array to a string separated by a comma.
  • join() combines all array elements into a string.
  • concat combines two arrays together or add more items to an array and then return a new array.
  • push() adds item(s) to the end of an array and changes the original array.
  • pop() removes the last item of an array and returns it
  • shift() removes the first item of an array and returns it
  • unshift() adds an item(s) to the beginning of an array and changes the original array.
  • splice() changes an array, by adding, removing and inserting elements.
  • slice() copies a given part of an array and returns that copied part as a new array. It does not change the original array.
  • split() divides a string into substrings and returns them as an array.
  • indexOf() looks for an item in an array and returns the index where it was found else it returns -1
  • lastIndexOf() looks for an item from right to left and returns the last index where the item was found.
  • filter() creates a new array if the items of an array pass a certain condition.
  • map() creates a new array by manipulating the values in an array.
  • reduce() calculates a single value based on an array.
  • forEach() iterates through an array, it applies a function on all items in an array
  • every() checks if all items in an array pass the specified condition and return true if passed, else false.
  • some() checks if an item (one or more) in an array pass the specified condition and return true if passed, else false.
  • includes() checks if an array contains a certain item.

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Source: https://www.freecodecamp.org

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How to Manipulate Arrays in JavaScript

How to Create Arrays in Python

In this tutorial, you'll know the basics of how to create arrays in Python using the array module. Learn how to use Python arrays. You'll see how to define them and the different methods commonly used for performing operations on them.

This tutorialvideo on 'Arrays in Python' will help you establish a strong hold on all the fundamentals in python programming language. Below are the topics covered in this video:  
1:15 What is an array?
2:53 Is python list same as an array?
3:48  How to create arrays in python?
7:19 Accessing array elements
9:59 Basic array operations
        - 10:33  Finding the length of an array
        - 11:44  Adding Elements
        - 15:06  Removing elements
        - 18:32  Array concatenation
       - 20:59  Slicing
       - 23:26  Looping  


Python Array Tutorial – Define, Index, Methods

In this article, you'll learn how to use Python arrays. You'll see how to define them and the different methods commonly used for performing operations on them.

The artcile covers arrays that you create by importing the array module. We won't cover NumPy arrays here.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to Arrays
    1. The differences between Lists and Arrays
    2. When to use arrays
  2. How to use arrays
    1. Define arrays
    2. Find the length of arrays
    3. Array indexing
    4. Search through arrays
    5. Loop through arrays
    6. Slice an array
  3. Array methods for performing operations
    1. Change an existing value
    2. Add a new value
    3. Remove a value
  4. Conclusion

Let's get started!

What are Python Arrays?

Arrays are a fundamental data structure, and an important part of most programming languages. In Python, they are containers which are able to store more than one item at the same time.

Specifically, they are an ordered collection of elements with every value being of the same data type. That is the most important thing to remember about Python arrays - the fact that they can only hold a sequence of multiple items that are of the same type.

What's the Difference between Python Lists and Python Arrays?

Lists are one of the most common data structures in Python, and a core part of the language.

Lists and arrays behave similarly.

Just like arrays, lists are an ordered sequence of elements.

They are also mutable and not fixed in size, which means they can grow and shrink throughout the life of the program. Items can be added and removed, making them very flexible to work with.

However, lists and arrays are not the same thing.

Lists store items that are of various data types. This means that a list can contain integers, floating point numbers, strings, or any other Python data type, at the same time. That is not the case with arrays.

As mentioned in the section above, arrays store only items that are of the same single data type. There are arrays that contain only integers, or only floating point numbers, or only any other Python data type you want to use.

When to Use Python Arrays

Lists are built into the Python programming language, whereas arrays aren't. Arrays are not a built-in data structure, and therefore need to be imported via the array module in order to be used.

Arrays of the array module are a thin wrapper over C arrays, and are useful when you want to work with homogeneous data.

They are also more compact and take up less memory and space which makes them more size efficient compared to lists.

If you want to perform mathematical calculations, then you should use NumPy arrays by importing the NumPy package. Besides that, you should just use Python arrays when you really need to, as lists work in a similar way and are more flexible to work with.

How to Use Arrays in Python

In order to create Python arrays, you'll first have to import the array module which contains all the necassary functions.

There are three ways you can import the array module:

  • By using import array at the top of the file. This includes the module array. You would then go on to create an array using array.array().
import array

#how you would create an array
array.array()
  • Instead of having to type array.array() all the time, you could use import array as arr at the top of the file, instead of import array alone. You would then create an array by typing arr.array(). The arr acts as an alias name, with the array constructor then immediately following it.
import array as arr

#how you would create an array
arr.array()
  • Lastly, you could also use from array import *, with * importing all the functionalities available. You would then create an array by writing the array() constructor alone.
from array import *

#how you would create an array
array()

How to Define Arrays in Python

Once you've imported the array module, you can then go on to define a Python array.

The general syntax for creating an array looks like this:

variable_name = array(typecode,[elements])

Let's break it down:

  • variable_name would be the name of the array.
  • The typecode specifies what kind of elements would be stored in the array. Whether it would be an array of integers, an array of floats or an array of any other Python data type. Remember that all elements should be of the same data type.
  • Inside square brackets you mention the elements that would be stored in the array, with each element being separated by a comma. You can also create an empty array by just writing variable_name = array(typecode) alone, without any elements.

Below is a typecode table, with the different typecodes that can be used with the different data types when defining Python arrays:

TYPECODEC TYPEPYTHON TYPESIZE
'b'signed charint1
'B'unsigned charint1
'u'wchar_tUnicode character2
'h'signed shortint2
'H'unsigned shortint2
'i'signed intint2
'I'unsigned intint2
'l'signed longint4
'L'unsigned longint4
'q'signed long longint8
'Q'unsigned long longint8
'f'floatfloat4
'd'doublefloat8

Tying everything together, here is an example of how you would define an array in Python:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30])

Let's break it down:

  • First we included the array module, in this case with import array as arr .
  • Then, we created a numbers array.
  • We used arr.array() because of import array as arr .
  • Inside the array() constructor, we first included i, for signed integer. Signed integer means that the array can include positive and negative values. Unsigned integer, with H for example, would mean that no negative values are allowed.
  • Lastly, we included the values to be stored in the array in square brackets.

Keep in mind that if you tried to include values that were not of i typecode, meaning they were not integer values, you would get an error:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10.0,20,30])


print(numbers)

#output

#Traceback (most recent call last):
# File "/Users/dionysialemonaki/python_articles/demo.py", line 14, in <module>
#   numbers = arr.array('i',[10.0,20,30])
#TypeError: 'float' object cannot be interpreted as an integer

In the example above, I tried to include a floating point number in the array. I got an error because this is meant to be an integer array only.

Another way to create an array is the following:

from array import *

#an array of floating point values
numbers = array('d',[10.0,20.0,30.0])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('d', [10.0, 20.0, 30.0])

The example above imported the array module via from array import * and created an array numbers of float data type. This means that it holds only floating point numbers, which is specified with the 'd' typecode.

How to Find the Length of an Array in Python

To find out the exact number of elements contained in an array, use the built-in len() method.

It will return the integer number that is equal to the total number of elements in the array you specify.

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


print(len(numbers))

#output
# 3

In the example above, the array contained three elements – 10, 20, 30 – so the length of numbers is 3.

Array Indexing and How to Access Individual Items in an Array in Python

Each item in an array has a specific address. Individual items are accessed by referencing their index number.

Indexing in Python, and in all programming languages and computing in general, starts at 0. It is important to remember that counting starts at 0 and not at 1.

To access an element, you first write the name of the array followed by square brackets. Inside the square brackets you include the item's index number.

The general syntax would look something like this:

array_name[index_value_of_item]

Here is how you would access each individual element in an array:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers[0]) # gets the 1st element
print(numbers[1]) # gets the 2nd element
print(numbers[2]) # gets the 3rd element

#output

#10
#20
#30

Remember that the index value of the last element of an array is always one less than the length of the array. Where n is the length of the array, n - 1 will be the index value of the last item.

Note that you can also access each individual element using negative indexing.

With negative indexing, the last element would have an index of -1, the second to last element would have an index of -2, and so on.

Here is how you would get each item in an array using that method:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers[-1]) #gets last item
print(numbers[-2]) #gets second to last item
print(numbers[-3]) #gets first item
 
#output

#30
#20
#10

How to Search Through an Array in Python

You can find out an element's index number by using the index() method.

You pass the value of the element being searched as the argument to the method, and the element's index number is returned.

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#search for the index of the value 10
print(numbers.index(10))

#output

#0

If there is more than one element with the same value, the index of the first instance of the value will be returned:

import array as arr 


numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20,30])

#search for the index of the value 10
#will return the index number of the first instance of the value 10
print(numbers.index(10))

#output

#0

How to Loop through an Array in Python

You've seen how to access each individual element in an array and print it out on its own.

You've also seen how to print the array, using the print() method. That method gives the following result:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30])

What if you want to print each value one by one?

This is where a loop comes in handy. You can loop through the array and print out each value, one-by-one, with each loop iteration.

For this you can use a simple for loop:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

for number in numbers:
    print(number)
    
#output
#10
#20
#30

You could also use the range() function, and pass the len() method as its parameter. This would give the same result as above:

import array as arr  

values = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#prints each individual value in the array
for value in range(len(values)):
    print(values[value])

#output

#10
#20
#30

How to Slice an Array in Python

To access a specific range of values inside the array, use the slicing operator, which is a colon :.

When using the slicing operator and you only include one value, the counting starts from 0 by default. It gets the first item, and goes up to but not including the index number you specify.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#get the values 10 and 20 only
print(numbers[:2])  #first to second position

#output

#array('i', [10, 20])

When you pass two numbers as arguments, you specify a range of numbers. In this case, the counting starts at the position of the first number in the range, and up to but not including the second one:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


#get the values 20 and 30 only
print(numbers[1:3]) #second to third position

#output

#rray('i', [20, 30])

Methods For Performing Operations on Arrays in Python

Arrays are mutable, which means they are changeable. You can change the value of the different items, add new ones, or remove any you don't want in your program anymore.

Let's see some of the most commonly used methods which are used for performing operations on arrays.

How to Change the Value of an Item in an Array

You can change the value of a specific element by speficying its position and assigning it a new value:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#change the first element
#change it from having a value of 10 to having a value of 40
numbers[0] = 40

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [40, 20, 30])

How to Add a New Value to an Array

To add one single value at the end of an array, use the append() method:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 to the end of numbers
numbers.append(40)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30, 40])

Be aware that the new item you add needs to be the same data type as the rest of the items in the array.

Look what happens when I try to add a float to an array of integers:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 to the end of numbers
numbers.append(40.0)

print(numbers)

#output

#Traceback (most recent call last):
#  File "/Users/dionysialemonaki/python_articles/demo.py", line 19, in <module>
#   numbers.append(40.0)
#TypeError: 'float' object cannot be interpreted as an integer

But what if you want to add more than one value to the end an array?

Use the extend() method, which takes an iterable (such as a list of items) as an argument. Again, make sure that the new items are all the same data type.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integers 40,50,60 to the end of numbers
#The numbers need to be enclosed in square brackets

numbers.extend([40,50,60])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60])

And what if you don't want to add an item to the end of an array? Use the insert() method, to add an item at a specific position.

The insert() function takes two arguments: the index number of the position the new element will be inserted, and the value of the new element.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 in the first position
#remember indexing starts at 0

numbers.insert(0,40)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [40, 10, 20, 30])

How to Remove a Value from an Array

To remove an element from an array, use the remove() method and include the value as an argument to the method.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

numbers.remove(10)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30])

With remove(), only the first instance of the value you pass as an argument will be removed.

See what happens when there are more than one identical values:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20])

numbers.remove(10)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30, 10, 20])

Only the first occurence of 10 is removed.

You can also use the pop() method, and specify the position of the element to be removed:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20])

#remove the first instance of 10
numbers.pop(0)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30, 10, 20])

Conclusion

And there you have it - you now know the basics of how to create arrays in Python using the array module. Hopefully you found this guide helpful.

Thanks for reading and happy coding!

#python #programming 

Connor Mills

Connor Mills

1670560264

Understanding Arrays in Python

Learn how to use Python arrays. Create arrays in Python using the array module. You'll see how to define them and the different methods commonly used for performing operations on them.
 

The artcile covers arrays that you create by importing the array module. We won't cover NumPy arrays here.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction to Arrays
    1. The differences between Lists and Arrays
    2. When to use arrays
  2. How to use arrays
    1. Define arrays
    2. Find the length of arrays
    3. Array indexing
    4. Search through arrays
    5. Loop through arrays
    6. Slice an array
  3. Array methods for performing operations
    1. Change an existing value
    2. Add a new value
    3. Remove a value
  4. Conclusion

Let's get started!


What are Python Arrays?

Arrays are a fundamental data structure, and an important part of most programming languages. In Python, they are containers which are able to store more than one item at the same time.

Specifically, they are an ordered collection of elements with every value being of the same data type. That is the most important thing to remember about Python arrays - the fact that they can only hold a sequence of multiple items that are of the same type.

What's the Difference between Python Lists and Python Arrays?

Lists are one of the most common data structures in Python, and a core part of the language.

Lists and arrays behave similarly.

Just like arrays, lists are an ordered sequence of elements.

They are also mutable and not fixed in size, which means they can grow and shrink throughout the life of the program. Items can be added and removed, making them very flexible to work with.

However, lists and arrays are not the same thing.

Lists store items that are of various data types. This means that a list can contain integers, floating point numbers, strings, or any other Python data type, at the same time. That is not the case with arrays.

As mentioned in the section above, arrays store only items that are of the same single data type. There are arrays that contain only integers, or only floating point numbers, or only any other Python data type you want to use.

When to Use Python Arrays

Lists are built into the Python programming language, whereas arrays aren't. Arrays are not a built-in data structure, and therefore need to be imported via the array module in order to be used.

Arrays of the array module are a thin wrapper over C arrays, and are useful when you want to work with homogeneous data.

They are also more compact and take up less memory and space which makes them more size efficient compared to lists.

If you want to perform mathematical calculations, then you should use NumPy arrays by importing the NumPy package. Besides that, you should just use Python arrays when you really need to, as lists work in a similar way and are more flexible to work with.

How to Use Arrays in Python

In order to create Python arrays, you'll first have to import the array module which contains all the necassary functions.

There are three ways you can import the array module:

  1. By using import array at the top of the file. This includes the module array. You would then go on to create an array using array.array().
import array

#how you would create an array
array.array()
  1. Instead of having to type array.array() all the time, you could use import array as arr at the top of the file, instead of import array alone. You would then create an array by typing arr.array(). The arr acts as an alias name, with the array constructor then immediately following it.
import array as arr

#how you would create an array
arr.array()
  1. Lastly, you could also use from array import *, with * importing all the functionalities available. You would then create an array by writing the array() constructor alone.
from array import *

#how you would create an array
array()

How to Define Arrays in Python

Once you've imported the array module, you can then go on to define a Python array.

The general syntax for creating an array looks like this:

variable_name = array(typecode,[elements])

Let's break it down:

  • variable_name would be the name of the array.
  • The typecode specifies what kind of elements would be stored in the array. Whether it would be an array of integers, an array of floats or an array of any other Python data type. Remember that all elements should be of the same data type.
  • Inside square brackets you mention the elements that would be stored in the array, with each element being separated by a comma. You can also create an empty array by just writing variable_name = array(typecode) alone, without any elements.

Below is a typecode table, with the different typecodes that can be used with the different data types when defining Python arrays:

TYPECODEC TYPEPYTHON TYPESIZE
'b'signed charint1
'B'unsigned charint1
'u'wchar_tUnicode character2
'h'signed shortint2
'H'unsigned shortint2
'i'signed intint2
'I'unsigned intint2
'l'signed longint4
'L'unsigned longint4
'q'signed long longint8
'Q'unsigned long longint8
'f'floatfloat4
'd'doublefloat8

Tying everything together, here is an example of how you would define an array in Python:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30])

Let's break it down:

  • First we included the array module, in this case with import array as arr .
  • Then, we created a numbers array.
  • We used arr.array() because of import array as arr .
  • Inside the array() constructor, we first included i, for signed integer. Signed integer means that the array can include positive and negative values. Unsigned integer, with H for example, would mean that no negative values are allowed.
  • Lastly, we included the values to be stored in the array in square brackets.

Keep in mind that if you tried to include values that were not of i typecode, meaning they were not integer values, you would get an error:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10.0,20,30])


print(numbers)

#output

#Traceback (most recent call last):
# File "/Users/dionysialemonaki/python_articles/demo.py", line 14, in <module>
#   numbers = arr.array('i',[10.0,20,30])
#TypeError: 'float' object cannot be interpreted as an integer

In the example above, I tried to include a floating point number in the array. I got an error because this is meant to be an integer array only.

Another way to create an array is the following:

from array import *

#an array of floating point values
numbers = array('d',[10.0,20.0,30.0])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('d', [10.0, 20.0, 30.0])

The example above imported the array module via from array import * and created an array numbers of float data type. This means that it holds only floating point numbers, which is specified with the 'd' typecode.

How to Find the Length of an Array in Python

To find out the exact number of elements contained in an array, use the built-in len() method.

It will return the integer number that is equal to the total number of elements in the array you specify.

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


print(len(numbers))

#output
# 3

In the example above, the array contained three elements – 10, 20, 30 – so the length of numbers is 3.

Array Indexing and How to Access Individual Items in an Array in Python

Each item in an array has a specific address. Individual items are accessed by referencing their index number.

Indexing in Python, and in all programming languages and computing in general, starts at 0. It is important to remember that counting starts at 0 and not at 1.

To access an element, you first write the name of the array followed by square brackets. Inside the square brackets you include the item's index number.

The general syntax would look something like this:

array_name[index_value_of_item]

Here is how you would access each individual element in an array:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers[0]) # gets the 1st element
print(numbers[1]) # gets the 2nd element
print(numbers[2]) # gets the 3rd element

#output

#10
#20
#30

Remember that the index value of the last element of an array is always one less than the length of the array. Where n is the length of the array, n - 1 will be the index value of the last item.

Note that you can also access each individual element using negative indexing.

With negative indexing, the last element would have an index of -1, the second to last element would have an index of -2, and so on.

Here is how you would get each item in an array using that method:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers[-1]) #gets last item
print(numbers[-2]) #gets second to last item
print(numbers[-3]) #gets first item
 
#output

#30
#20
#10

How to Search Through an Array in Python

You can find out an element's index number by using the index() method.

You pass the value of the element being searched as the argument to the method, and the element's index number is returned.

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#search for the index of the value 10
print(numbers.index(10))

#output

#0

If there is more than one element with the same value, the index of the first instance of the value will be returned:

import array as arr 


numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20,30])

#search for the index of the value 10
#will return the index number of the first instance of the value 10
print(numbers.index(10))

#output

#0

How to Loop through an Array in Python

You've seen how to access each individual element in an array and print it out on its own.

You've also seen how to print the array, using the print() method. That method gives the following result:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30])

What if you want to print each value one by one?

This is where a loop comes in handy. You can loop through the array and print out each value, one-by-one, with each loop iteration.

For this you can use a simple for loop:

import array as arr 

numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

for number in numbers:
    print(number)
    
#output
#10
#20
#30

You could also use the range() function, and pass the len() method as its parameter. This would give the same result as above:

import array as arr  

values = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#prints each individual value in the array
for value in range(len(values)):
    print(values[value])

#output

#10
#20
#30

How to Slice an Array in Python

To access a specific range of values inside the array, use the slicing operator, which is a colon :.

When using the slicing operator and you only include one value, the counting starts from 0 by default. It gets the first item, and goes up to but not including the index number you specify.


import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#get the values 10 and 20 only
print(numbers[:2])  #first to second position

#output

#array('i', [10, 20])

When you pass two numbers as arguments, you specify a range of numbers. In this case, the counting starts at the position of the first number in the range, and up to but not including the second one:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])


#get the values 20 and 30 only
print(numbers[1:3]) #second to third position

#output

#rray('i', [20, 30])

Methods For Performing Operations on Arrays in Python

Arrays are mutable, which means they are changeable. You can change the value of the different items, add new ones, or remove any you don't want in your program anymore.

Let's see some of the most commonly used methods which are used for performing operations on arrays.

How to Change the Value of an Item in an Array

You can change the value of a specific element by speficying its position and assigning it a new value:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#change the first element
#change it from having a value of 10 to having a value of 40
numbers[0] = 40

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [40, 20, 30])

How to Add a New Value to an Array

To add one single value at the end of an array, use the append() method:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 to the end of numbers
numbers.append(40)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30, 40])

Be aware that the new item you add needs to be the same data type as the rest of the items in the array.

Look what happens when I try to add a float to an array of integers:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 to the end of numbers
numbers.append(40.0)

print(numbers)

#output

#Traceback (most recent call last):
#  File "/Users/dionysialemonaki/python_articles/demo.py", line 19, in <module>
#   numbers.append(40.0)
#TypeError: 'float' object cannot be interpreted as an integer

But what if you want to add more than one value to the end an array?

Use the extend() method, which takes an iterable (such as a list of items) as an argument. Again, make sure that the new items are all the same data type.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integers 40,50,60 to the end of numbers
#The numbers need to be enclosed in square brackets

numbers.extend([40,50,60])

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60])

And what if you don't want to add an item to the end of an array? Use the insert() method, to add an item at a specific position.

The insert() function takes two arguments: the index number of the position the new element will be inserted, and the value of the new element.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

#add the integer 40 in the first position
#remember indexing starts at 0

numbers.insert(0,40)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [40, 10, 20, 30])

How to Remove a Value from an Array

To remove an element from an array, use the remove() method and include the value as an argument to the method.

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30])

numbers.remove(10)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30])

With remove(), only the first instance of the value you pass as an argument will be removed.

See what happens when there are more than one identical values:


import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20])

numbers.remove(10)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30, 10, 20])

Only the first occurence of 10 is removed.

You can also use the pop() method, and specify the position of the element to be removed:

import array as arr 

#original array
numbers = arr.array('i',[10,20,30,10,20])

#remove the first instance of 10
numbers.pop(0)

print(numbers)

#output

#array('i', [20, 30, 10, 20])

Conclusion

And there you have it - you now know the basics of how to create arrays in Python using the array module. Hopefully you found this guide helpful.

You'll start from the basics and learn in an interacitve and beginner-friendly way. You'll also build five projects at the end to put into practice and help reinforce what you learned.

Thanks for reading and happy coding!

Original article source at https://www.freecodecamp.org

#python 

Lowa Alice

Lowa Alice

1624388400

JavaScript Arrays Tutorial. DO NOT MISS!!!

Learn JavaScript Arrays

📺 The video in this post was made by Programming with Mosh
The origin of the article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oigfaZ5ApsM&list=PLTjRvDozrdlxEIuOBZkMAK5uiqp8rHUax&index=4
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Thanks for visiting and watching! Please don’t forget to leave a like, comment and share!

#arrays #javascript #javascript arrays #javascript arrays tutorial

Terry  Tremblay

Terry Tremblay

1602154740

Fill and Filter in Array in JavaScript

By the word Array methods, I mean the inbuilt array functions, which might be helpful for us in so many ways. So why not just explore and make use of them, to boost our productivity.

Let’s see them together one by one with some amazing examples.

Array.fill():

The _fill()_ method changes all elements in an array to a static value, from a start index (default _0_) to an end index (default _array.length_). It returns the modified array.

In simple words, it’s gonna fill the elements of the array with whatever sets of params, you pass in it. Mostly we pass three params, each param stands with some meaning. The first param value: what value you want to fill, second value: start range of index(inclusive), and third value: end range of index(exclusive). Imagine you are going to apply this method on some date, so that how its gonna look like eg: array.fill(‘Some date’, start date, end date).

NOTE: Start range is inclusive and end range is exclusive.

Let’s understand this in the below example-

//declare array
var testArray = [2,4,6,8,10,12,14];

console.log(testArray.fill("A"));

When you run this code, you gonna see all the elements of testArray will be replaced by 'A' like [“A”,"A","A","A","A","A","A"].

#javascript-tips #array-methods #javascript-development #javascript #arrays

Cayla  Erdman

Cayla Erdman

1597470780

A quick guide to JavaScript Arrays

Introduction

Arrays are a structure common to all programming languages so knowing what they are and having a firm grasp on what you’re able to accomplish with Arrays will take you a long way in your journey as a software developer. The code examples I share in this post will be in JavaScript but the concepts are common among all languages. What you learn here can easily be translated to any other language you work with.

In this post I’ll be covering how to perform the create, read update and delete operations using arrays, some common functions that come with the Array prototype and also how to implement them.


What is an Array

Before we jump into the juicy bits of Arrays, lets quickly gloss over what they are. Arrays

  • are a fundamental data type in JavaScript
  • are an ordered collection of values called **elements **that are stored at and accessed via an index
  • are untyped, meaning that the elements of an array could be of different types. This allows us to create complex arrays such as an array of objects or even an array of arrays (multidimensional arrays)
  • can have elements that are constants or expressions
  • have a property called length that tells you the number of elements in the array
  • inherit properties from Array.prototype that includes a wide variety useful functions that can be called from arrays or array-like objects

CRUD operations using Arrays

If you’re not familiar with the term CRUD it stands for Create, Read, Update and Delete. In this section we’ll go through each one of these operations and cover different ways you can perform each one.

Creating Arrays

There are several ways you can create an Array but the most common ways are by using

  • the Array literal syntax
  • the Array constructor i.e. new Array()

Lets take a look at each one with examples

Array literal

The array literal is the most common way of creating an array. It uses the square brackets as a notion of a container followed by comma separated values inside the square brackets. The following examples show how to use the array literal syntax and how arrays are untyped i.e. can contain elements of different types.

Image for post

Examples of untyped arrays in JavaScript created with the array literal syntax.

Array constructor

Another way to create an array is through the Array constructor.

const myArray = new Array();

Using the Array constructor, as shown above, is the same as creating an array with the array literal syntax. i.e.

// The following two lines behave exactly the same way i.e. both create an empty arrays

const myArray = new Array();
const myOtherArray = [];

The array constructor, however, is able to receive arguments that allow it to behave in different ways depending on the number and type of arguments passed to it.

  • You can pass a single numeric argument which creates an array of the specified length. This option is mostly used when you know how many elements you’ll be placing in the array
const myArray = new Array(5);

Note: If you want to define the array with a specified size, as shown above, the argument passed must be a numeric value. Any other type would be considered as the first element that’ll be placed in the array.

  • Or you can pass two or more arguments or a non-numeric argument to place the values inside the array. This works the same way as shown in the array literal examples.

Image for post

Examples of arrays created by using the Array constructor in JavaScript

As stated earlier, these two ways are the most common ways of creating arrays that you’ll see and use 99% of the time. There are a few other ways but we won’t dive deep into how they work. They are

  • the spread operator const someArray = […someOtherArray]
  • the static method Array.of()
  • and the static method Array.from()

#javascript #web-development #javascript-tips #javascript-development #javascript-arrays #sql