What's the Key Difference Between Static and Dynamic Arrays in C ?

Demystifying the Discrepancies Between Static and Dynamic Arrays in C

While tackling a programming assignment, you encounter a mandate to exclusively employ dynamic arrays. Despite diligent research, the distinction between static and dynamic arrays eludes you.

To unravel this mystery, it's crucial to delve into their contrasting characteristics.

Static Arrays

• Creation: Static arrays materialize at compile time, as their size is predetermined and immutable. For instance, an array named "foo" with a fixed size of 10 elements would be declared thusly:

int foo[10];

• Size and Allocation: The size of static arrays remains constant throughout a program's execution. They reside in the stack memory, which undergoes automatic memory allocation and deallocation based on the scope of the declaring function.

Dynamic Arrays

• Creation and Allocation: Dynamic arrays, in contrast, aren't confined by compile-time size constraints. They are allocated dynamically during program execution via the "new" operator. After allocation, their size can be modified at runtime. Consider an example:

int* foo = new int[10];

This action results in an array "foo" of 10 integers residing in the heap memory. Memory for this array is managed manually; the "delete[]" operator deallocates it when no longer needed:

delete[] foo;

• Storage Duration: Unlike static arrays, dynamic arrays possess a dynamic storage duration, meaning they endure beyond the scope of the allocating function.

Key Takeaway

The primary distinction lies in size flexibility and memory allocation. Static arrays are immutable in size and conveniently managed by the stack, while dynamic arrays allow for varying sizes and require explicit memory allocation and deallocation in the heap.

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