Reading time: 30 minutes | Coding time: 15 minutes

Array is a container in C++ STL which are used to store homogeneous (same) type of data and provides several useful functionalities over it. Arrays in STL provides the static implementation of arrays that is the size of array does not increase once created. To understand Dynamic Array, see this. In order to use array, the array library must be included.

#include <array>

Syntax of array :

array<object_type, array_size> array_name;

Example:

array<int, 10> opengenus;

Initialization of Array:

#include <array>
int main()
{
    //It will create an empty integer array of size 3 
    array<int, 3> numbers;
    //It will create an integer array of size 3 having elements 1,2 & 3
    array<int, 3> num = {1, 2, 3};
    return 0;
}

Different functions of array

Following are the major functions supported by array container:

1. Accessing Array
   a) at() function
   b) front() function
   c) back() function
   d) data() function
   e) operator []
2. Modifying Array
   a) swap() function
   b) beign() and end() function
   c) cbeign() and cend() function
   d) crbeign() and crend() function
   e) rbeign() and rend() function
3. Miscellaneous
   a) size() function
   b) max_size() function
   c) fill() function
   d) empty() function

Functions Supported By Array

1. at() function

at() function in array container returns the value stored at given position or index.

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

int main(){
    //It will create an integer array of size 3 having elements 1,2 & 3
    array<int, 3> num = {1, 2, 3};
    
    cout<<num.at(0); // Prints 1
    
    cout<<num.at(2); // Prints 3
return 0;
}

2. front() function

front() function in array returns the value stored at first position in array. It is used to fetch the first element from array.

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

int main(){
    //It will create an integer array of size 3 having elements 1,2 & 3
    array<int, 3> num = {1, 2, 3};
    
    cout<<num.front(); // Prints 1
    
return 0;
}

3. back() function

back() function in array container returns the value stored at last position in array. It is used to fetch the last element from array.

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

int main(){
    //It will create an integer array of size 3 having elements 1,2 & 3
    array<int, 3> num = {1, 2, 3};
    
    cout<<num.back(); // Prints 3
    
return 0;
}

4. fill() function

fill() function in array fill the array with a particular value.

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

int main()
{
    //It will create an empty integer array of size 3
    array<int, 3> num;
    
    num.fill(10); //fill value 10 in array at every position

    for(int i=0;i<3;i++)
        cout<<num.at(i)<<" ";

return 0;
}

Output

10 10 10

5. empty() function

empty() function of array container returns true if array is empty otherwise returns false.

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

int main(){
    array<int, 0> num;

    if(num.empty())
        cout<<"Array is Empty";
    else
        cout<<"Array is Not Empty";
return 0;
}

Output

Array is Empty

6. max_size() function

max_size() function of array container returns the maximum number of elements the container is able to hold.

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

int main(){
    array<int, 10> num;
    
    cout<<"Array can store upto "<<num.max_size()<<" elements";
return 0;
}

Output

Array can store upto 10 elements

7. begin() and end() function

array::begin() returns the iterator to the begining or iterator to the first element of the array

array::end() returns the iterator to the ending of array or iterator to the last element of array

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

int main(){
    array<int,5> numberes{10,20,30,40,50};
    for(auto it = numbers.begin();it!=numbers.end();it++)
        cout<< *it <<" ";
    return 0;
}

output

10 20 30 40 50

8. cbegin() and cend() function

array::cbegin() returns the const_iterator to the begining or the first element of array . it points to the constant content . it can not be used to modify the elements it points to

array::cend() returns the const_iterator to the ending or the last element of array

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

int main ()
{
    array<int,5> myarray = { 2, 16, 77, 34, 50 };
    for ( auto it = myarray.cbegin(); it != myarray.cend(); ++it )
        cout << ' ' << *it;   // cannot modify *it

    return 0;
}

output

2 16 77 34 50

8. crbegin() and crend() function

array::crbegin() returns the const_reverse_iterator to the begining or the first element of array . A const_reverse_iterator is an iterator that points to const content and iterates in reverse order.

array::crend() returns the const_reverse_iterator to the ending or the last element of array .

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

int main ()
{
      array<int,6> myarray = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60} ;

     for(auto rit=myarray.crbegin() ; rit < myarray.crend(); ++rit )
        cout << ' ' << *rit;   // cannot modify *rit

  return 0;
}

output

 60 50 40 30 20 10 

9. rbegin() and rend() function

array::rbegin() returns a reverse iterator pointing to the last element in the array container.

array::rend() returns a reverse iterator pointing to the theoretical element preceding the first element in the array

#include <iostream>
#include <array>
using namespace std; 
  
int main() 
{ 
    array<int, 5> arr = { 1, 5, 2, 4, 7 }; 
  
    // prints all the elements 
    cout << "The array elements in reverse order are:\n"; 
    for (auto it = arr.rbegin(); it != arr.rend(); it++) 
        cout << *it << " "; 
    return 0; 
}

output

   The array elements in reverse order are:
   7 4 2 5 1 

10. data() function

array::data() returns the pointer to the first element of the array

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

int main(){
    array<int , 5> arr{1,2,3,4,5};
    cout<<"First Element of array = "<<*(arr.data());
    return 0;
}

output

    First Element of array = 1

11. operator[]

array::operator[] This operator is used to reference the element present at position given inside the operator. It is similar to the at() function

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

int main(){
    array<int,5> arr{1,2,3,4,5};
    cout<<"Second Element = "<<arr[1]<<endl;
    cout<<"Forth Element = "<<arr[3];
    return 0;
}

output

Second Element = 2
Forth Element = 4

12. size() function

array::size() it returns the size of array or length of array

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

int main(){
    array<int,5> arr{1,2,3,4,5};
    cout<<"Size of Array = "<<arr.size();
    return 0;
}

output

Size of Array = 5

13. swap() function

array::swap() This function is used to swap the contents of one array with another array of same type and size.

#include <array> 
#include <iostream> 
using namespace std; 
  
int main() 
{
    array<int, 4> myarray1{ 1, 2, 3, 4 }; 
    array<int, 4> myarray2{ 3, 5, 7, 9 }; 
  
        // using swap() function to swap elements of arrays 
    myarray1.swap(myarray2); 
  
        // printing the first array 
    cout<<"myarray1 = "; 
    for(auto it=myarray1.begin(); it<myarray1.end(); ++it) 
        cout<<*it<<" "; 
  
        // printing the second array 
    cout<<endl<<"myarray2 = "; 
    for(auto it=myarray2.begin(); it<myarray2.end(); ++it) 
        cout<<*it<<" "; 
    return 0; 
}

output

myarray1 = 3 5 7 9 
myarray2 = 1 2 3 4 

With this article at OpenGenus, you have a strong idea of the different functionalities supported by Array container in C++ STL. You should definitely try using this in your code and observe how it eases implementation. Enjoy.