Cheatsheets / Learn Java
Arrays and ArrayLists
Arrays
In Java, an array is used to store a list of elements of the
same datatype. // Create an array of 5 int elements
Arrays are fixed in size and their elements are ordered. int[] marks = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
Array creation in Java
In Java, an array can be created in the following ways:
int[] age = {20, 21, 30};
● Using the {} notation, by adding each element all
at once.
int[] marks = new int[3];
● Using the new keyword, and assigning each marks[0] = 50;
position of the array individually. marks[1] = 70;
marks[2] = 93;
Index
An index refers to an element’s position within an array.
The index of an array starts from 0 and goes up to one int[] marks = {50, 55, 60, 70, 80};
less than the total length of the array.
System.out.println(marks[0]);
// Output: 50
System.out.println(marks[4]);
// Output: 80
Changing an Element Value
To change an element value, select the element via its
index and use the assignment operator to set a new value. int[] nums = {1, 2, 0, 4};
// Change value at index 2
nums[2] = 3;
Java ArrayList
In Java, an ArrayList is used to represent a dynamic list.
While Java arrays are fixed in size (the size cannot be // import the ArrayList package
modified), an ArrayList allows flexibility by being able to import java.util.ArrayList;
both add and remove elements.
// create an ArrayList called students
ArrayList<String> students = new
ArrayList<String>();
Modifying ArrayLists in Java
An ArrayList can easily be modified using built in
methods. import java.util.ArrayList;
To add elements to an ArrayList , you use the add()
method. The element that you want to add goes inside of public class Students {
the () . public static void main(String[] args) {
To remove elements from an ArrayList , you use the
remove() method. Inside the () you can specify the
// create an ArrayList called
index of the element that you want to remove.
Alternatively, you can specify directly the element that
studentList, which initially holds []
you want to remove. ArrayList<String> studentList
= new ArrayList<String>();
// add students to the ArrayList
studentList.add("John");
studentList.add("Lily");
studentList.add("Samantha");
studentList.add("Tony");
// remove John from the ArrayList,
then Lily
studentList.remove(0);
studentList.remove("Lily");
// studentList now holds [Samantha,
Tony]
System.out.println(studentList);
}
}