NumPy - Array Creation Routines

NumPy Array Creation Routines refer to a set of functions provided by the

NumPy library that allow users to create arrays with specific characteristics,
shapes, and initial values.
The routines are the following:
1. numpy.empty
2. numpy.zeros
3. numpy.ones
4. numpy.asarray
5. numpy.arange
6. numpy.linspace
7. numpy.logspace

Let us discuss these routines one by one.

1. numpy.empty: It is a routine that creates an uninitialized array with a

specified shape and data type. The constructor parameters include
shape, dtype (default is float), and order (default is 'C').

Syntax:

numpy.empty(shape, dtype = float, order = 'C')

The constructor takes the following parameters.

Sr.No. Parameter & Description

Shape
1
Shape of an empty array in int or tuple of int
Dtype
2
Desired output data type. Optional
Order
3 'C' for C-style row-major array, 'F' for FORTRAN style column-
major array

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 Example Code:

import numpy as np
x = np.empty([3,2], dtype = int)
print(x)

Output
[[0 0]
[0 0]
[0 0]]

The numpy.empty function creates an array with uninitialized values.

This code is creating a 3x2 array with integer dtype.

2. numpy.zeros: numpy.zeros produces a new array with the given size,

where all elements are set to zero.

Syntax:

numpy.zeros(shape, dtype = float, order = 'C')

The constructor takes the following parameters:

Sr.No. Parameter & Description

1 Shape - Shape of an empty array in int or sequence of int

2 Dtype - Desired output data type. (Optional)

Order - 'C' for C-style row-major array, 'F' for FORTRAN style
3
column-major array

Example Code 1:

# array of three zeros. The default dtype is float

import numpy as np
x = np.zeros(3)
print(x)

Output
[0. 0. 0.]

This code creates a NumPy array named x with three elements, all
initialized to zero, and the default data type is float.

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 Example Code 2:

# custom type
import numpy as np
arr = np.zeros((2,2), dtype = [('a', 'i4'), ('b', 'i4')])
print(arr)

Output
[[(0, 0) (0, 0)]
[(0, 0) (0, 0)]]

The code creates a 2x2 NumPy array with a custom data type, where
each element is a tuple with two integer fields ('a' and 'b'). The array is
initialized with zeros, and the output shows the array with the specified
data type.

3. numpy.ones: It makes a new array with the specified size and data
type, where all elements are set to one.

Syntax:

numpy.ones(shape, dtype = None, order = 'C')

The constructor takes the following parameters.

Sr.No. Parameter & Description

Shape
1
Shape of an empty array in int or tuple of int

Dtype
2
Desired output data type. Optional

Order
3 'C' for C-style row-major array, 'F' for FORTRAN style column-
major array

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 Example Code 1:

# Create an array of five ones. The Default dtype is

float
import numpy as np
arr = np.ones(5)
print(arr)

Output
[1. 1. 1. 1. 1.]

The code uses NumPy to create an array of five floating-point elements, all
set to 1. The np.ones(5) function is used, and the resulting array is printed.

Example Code 2:

import numpy as np
arr = np.ones([2,2], dtype = int)
print(arr)

Output
[[1 1]
[1 1]]

The code is creating a variable arr. It is a NumPy array with dimensions

2x2, and all the elements in the array are set to the value 1 using
np.ones() function.

Let us learn to create NumPy arrays from existing data.

4. numpy.asarray: This function is used to convert input data, such as

lists, tuples, or other array-like objects, into a NumPy array.

Syntax:

numpy.asarray(a, dtype = None, order = None)

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The constructor accepts the following parameters:

Parameter
S.No. Parameter Description
Name
Input data in various forms, including lists, lists
1. a
of tuples, tuples, tuple of tuples, or tuple of lists.
By default, the data type of the input data is
2. dtype
assigned to the resulting ndarray.
C (row major) or F (column major). The
3. order
default is C.

Example Code 1:

# convert the list to ndarray

import numpy as np

x = [4,5,6]
arr = np.asarray(x)
print(arr)

Output
[4 5 6]

The Python list named x is converted into a NumPy array named arr.
The np.asarray() function is employed for this conversion.

Example Code 2:

# Making ndarray from a tuple

import numpy as np

x = (1,2,3)
arr = np.asarray(x)
print(arr)

Output
[1 2 3]

The code is converting a tuple named x into a NumPy array named arr
using the as array() function.

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 Now that you know how to create a ndarray from existing data. Let us
learn how we can create an array from numerical ranges.

5. numpy.arange (ndarray from Numerical Ranges): This function

generates an ndarray object with evenly spaced values within a
specified range.

Syntax:

numpy.arange(start, stop, step, dtype)

The constructor accepts the following parameters.

• start: The beginning of the interval. If not provided, it defaults to 0.
• stop: The end of the interval (exclusive).
• step: The spacing between values, with a default of 1.
• dtype: The data type of the resulting ndarray. If unspecified, the
data type of the input is utilized.

Example Code 1:

import numpy as np
arr = np.arange(3)
print(arr)

Output
[0 1 2]

The code creates an array (arr) with elements ranging from 0 to 2

using the arange function.

Example Code 2:

import numpy as np
# dtype set
arr= np.arange(3, dtype = float)
print(arr)

Output
[0. 1. 2.]

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 A NumPy array 'arr' is created with values 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, having a data type
of float. It's generated using arrange function.

Example Code 3:

# start and stop parameters set

import numpy as np
arr = np.arange(30,40,2)
print (arr)

Output
[30 32 34 36 38]

NumPy array 'arr' is created with values from 30 to 40 (exclusive),

incrementing by 2. It's printed using arange.

6. numpy.linspace: This function bears similarity to the arange() function.

Rather than specifying a step size, this function defines the number of
evenly spaced values within the given interval.

Syntax:

numpy.linspace(start, stop, num, endpoint, retstep, dtype)

The constructor accepts the following parameters.

Sr.No. Parameter Description

1. start The initial value of the sequence.

The final value of the sequence, included in the

2. stop
sequence if the endpoint is set to true.
The quantity of evenly spaced samples to
3. num
generate. The default is 50
True by default, meaning the stop value is
4. endpoint encompassed in the sequence. If false, it is
excluded.
If true, it provides samples and the step between
5. retstep
consecutive numbers.

6. dtype The data type of the output ndarray.

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 Example Code:

import numpy as np
arr= np.linspace(20,40,5)
print(arr)

Output
[20. 25. 30. 35. 40.]

The code uses NumPy to create an array (arr) containing 5 evenly

spaced values between 20 and 40 (inclusive). It then prints the ndarray.

7. numpy.logspace: The function yields an ndarray comprising numbers

evenly distributed on a logarithmic scale. The start and stop endpoints
on the scale are indices of the base, typically set to 10.

Syntax:

numpy.logspace(start, stop, num, endpoint, base, dtype)

The output of the logspace function is influenced by the following

parameters.

S.No. Parameter Description

The initiation point of the sequence is denoted as
1. start
"basestart."
The concluding value of the sequence is referred
2. stop
to as "basestop."
The quantity of values within the specified range.
3. num
The default value is set to 50.
If set to true, the stop value becomes the ultimate
4. endpoint
value in the range.
The fundamental value of the logarithmic space;
5. base
by default, it is set to 10.
The data type of the resulting array. If not
6. dtype explicitly provided, it is determined by other input
parameters.

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Example Code:

# set base of log space to 2

import numpy as np
arr = np.logspace(1,10,num = 10, base = 2)
print(arr)

Output
[ 2. 4. 8. 16. 32. 64. 128. 256. 512.
1024.]

This code creates an array (arr) with ten logarithmically spaced values
between 2 and 1024. The logarithmic scale has a base of 2, achieved by
setting the base parameter in the logspace function.

You now know how to create NumPy arrays. Let us know characteristics
of NumPy arrays, including details such as data type, size, memory
usage, etc.

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