How do Arrays and Slices Differ in Go, and Why Does It Matter for Array Handling?

Handling Arrays in Go: A Detailed Explanation

The Go programming language treats arrays as values, meaning that assigning one array to another creates a copy of all its elements. Similarly, when you pass an array to a function, the function receives a copy, not a reference to the original array.

Understanding Arrays and Slices

Arrays in Go are fixed-length lists of values, while slices are references to underlying arrays. The code snippet in question:

<code class="go">arr := []int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
arr2 := arr</code>

assigns a reference to a slice of integers to arr2. This means that both arr and arr2 are referencing the same underlying array. Therefore, when shuffle() modifies the contents of arr, the changes are reflected in arr2 as well.

Distinction between Arrays and Slices

To distinguish between arrays and slices, remember that slices are references to underlying arrays, while arrays are fixed-length lists of values. Here's a helpful tip: slices are typically created using the make or [] syntax, while arrays are declared using the [...] syntax.

Implications for Array Handling

Understanding this distinction is crucial when working with arrays in Go. If you want to create multiple independent copies of an array, you need to create new slices referencing new underlying arrays. However, if you simply assign one slice to another, you're creating multiple references to the same underlying array.

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