In python, both Array and the List are used to store the data as a data structure and can be used for iteration and indexing. Python has many different data structures with various features and functions, and its built-in data structure includes lists and sets.
So, what are the similarities between an array and a list in python?
An array is incredibly tied to a hardware notion of continuous, with every part identical in size. A list could be an idea wherever parts are ordered and indexing is flexible.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the differences between List vs Array. Let’s begin our discussion with what is an array and a list.
What Is The Meaning Of a List?
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The list is the data type in python languages. The list is written down as a list of commas and different values inside the square bracket. The most important benefit of the list is that the element inside the list is not desired of the same data type and negative indexing.
Advantages of List
These are the following advantages of the list.
- The first advantage of the list is that it easily filters and maps the objects in a list to expand code performance.
- It filters iterable (list) into a formula.
- Apart from this, the list facilitates writing the code in fewer lines than the array.
- It allows writing codes that are more effortless to understand and adhere to Python guidelines.
- The list has a dynamic data structure.
- Moreover, the list’s other advantages are no memory wastage, efficiency for large data, scalability, flexibility, insertion, and deletion operations, etc.
Disadvantages of List
Here are the following disadvantages of the list.
- The first drawback of the list is that it cannot provide any important advantages on a small dataset compared to an array.
- Apart from this, it is not possible to instantly access the memory address of an aspect in a list.
- The list does not allow random access. It is impossible to access a list due to its dynamic memory allocation.
- The implementation is too complex than an array rather, it needs a complex programming understanding.
- Reverse traversing is not possible in the list.
Applications Of List Data Structure
Following are the applications of the list in computer science, the real world, circular linked lists, and doubly linked lists.
Applications Of List Data Structure
| 1. Applications of lists in computer science | 1. Representing sparse matrices 2. Implementation of stacks and queues 3. Maintaining a directory of names 4. Performing arithmetic operations on long integers 5. Dynamic memory allocation: We use a list of free blocks. |
| 2. Applications of the list in the real world | 1. Music PlayerImage viewer 2. RoboticsGPS navigation systems 3. Previous and next page in a web browser |
| 3. Applications of Circular Lists | 1. Circular linked lists can be used in networking. 2. It is used in database systems to implement linked data structures. 3. It is used for the implementation of advanced data structures. |
| 4. Application of Doubly Lists | 1. Redo and undo functionality. 2. Used in Graph algorithms. 3. Used in networking. |
Examples of List
| Example 1: Creating a new list using for |
| list1 = [8, 9, 10, 11] new_cube_list = [item**3 for an item in list 1] print (new_cube_list) Output = [512, 729, 1000, 1331] |
| Example 2: Creating a list of the first alphabet of every word in an existing list. |
| list1 = (‘red’, ‘green’, ‘blue’, ‘yellow’, ‘black’, ‘pink’) new_word_list = [ word[0] for a word in list1] print (new_word_list) Output = [‘r’, ‘g’, ‘b’, ‘y’, ‘b’, ‘p’] |
What is The Meaning Of Array?
An array is a kind of data structure that can store a fixed-size continuous collection of elements of the same type. An array is used to store a group of data, but it is often more helpful to think of an array as a group of elements of the same type.
Advantages of Array
These are the following advantages of the array.
- Arrays are a widely kept data structure and can be efficiently exchanged between various systems and programming languages.
- It stores multiple data of similar styles with the same name.
- Apart from this, it is most helpful to store any kind of data with a fixed size.
- It lets random access to parts.
- Array has a simple data structure to implement. It mainly uses caching techniques to store temporary data.
Disadvantages of Array
Here are the following disadvantages of the list.
- Its size should be known in advance by the programmer.
- Apart from this, another drawback of the array is that it has a static data structure with a fixed size that can’t be changed. Also, it doesn’t allow the programmer to make any changes during its runtime.
- The insertion and deletion operations of the array are too costly.
- No built-in functionality.
- It supports limited object-oriented programming.
Applications Of Array
Following are the applications of array data structure, real-time, C & C++, Java, C#, etc.
Applications Of Array
| 1. Applications of Array Data Structure | 1. Arrays can be used for CPU scheduling. 2. It’s good to implement data structures like a stack, queue, etc. 3. Arrays are used in lookup tables in computers. |
| 2. Real-Time Applications of Array | 1. Contact lists on mobile phones 2. Arrays are used in online ticket booking portals. 3. Pages of book. |
| 3. Applications of Array in C/C++ | 1. Used for implementing matrices. 2. It’s good for implementing vectors and lists in C++ STL. 3. Graphs are also implemented as arrays in an adjacency matrix. |
| 4. Applications of Array in Java | 1. Arrays can be used to determine the flow of the code. 2. Arrays are good for implementing lists. |
| 5. Applications of Array in C# | 1. Arrays are dynamically allocated in C#. 2. In C#, arrays are things, not just addressable contiguous memory regions. |
Example Of Array
| Example of Array |
| If you want to store 100 integers, you can create an array. int data[100]; |
What Are The Difference Between List Vs Array?
Here are best 7 differences between list vs array:
| Parameters | List | Array |
| 1. Definition | The list is parts that unfold concerning memory, link along. This enables straightforward insertion within the list. However, random access, while not different data structures, isn’t double. | Arrays are continuous in memory making it exhausting to insert parts within the middle of the list. The advantage is the ability to perform random access. |
| 2. Data structure | A list is an abstract data type; is to say, it is any data structure that supports a specific bunch of operations. It allows repetition that means a single piece of data can occur more than once in a list. It is also known as a sequence. | An array could be a mentioned system; it is a particular approach to organizing data within the memory device. The items of an array are assigned at adjacent memory locations. |
| 3. Elements | A list is a collection of heterogeneous elements. List contains heterogeneous elements like integers, floats, and dictionaries. | An array is a collection of homogeneous elements that stores a sequence of consecutively numbered objects – allocated in continuous memory. |
| 4. Memory allocation | List memory allocated is dynamic and random. | Array memory allocated is static and continuous. |
| 5. Tracker | A user must confine track of the next location wherever memory is allotted. | A user needn’t ought to confine track of the next memory allocation. |
| 6. Modification | Easily modifications like addition, deletion, and update of data elements are done. | It isn’t easy to modify an array since the addition, deletion, and update operations are performed on a single element at a time. |
| 7. Memory storage | For easy addition of elements, large memory storage is required. | In comparison to the list, it is a more compact in-memory size. |
| 8. Replaceability | List can be replaceable. | The array is replicable in a few exceptional cases only for the data structure. |
| 9. Data Types Storage | List can store the elements of different data types too. | Array can store elements of only one data type. |
| 10. Importing Module | It has no module or package is to be imported before using the in-build data structure of python language. | But it has not an in-build data structure, you will need to import the “array” module. |
Why is popularity a preferred list over an array?
More than 70% of people preferred a list over an array because the array has some drawbacks are:-
- arrays are of fixed length. You cannot swap the size of the array once created.
- You cannot accommodate an extra element in an array after they are created.
- Memory is allocated to an array during its creation only, much before the actual elements are added.
| Key point: The array is faster in accessing an element, while the list adds an element from the collection. |
Which Is Best, List Vs Array?
Being an expert, There are many similarities between the list vs array. The main difference between these two data types is the operation you can perform on them. The similarities between list and array are used to store data, mutable, and sliced.
| Bonus tips: Array strengths: random access, better cache locality.Weakness: Fixed size, slow insertion. List strengths: dynamic size, efficient memory allocation weakness: slow search time, additional storage required for pointers. |
Conclusion (List Vs Array)
We discuss the difference between List vs Array. An array is always listed in nature, but a list is not an array. The array allows both kinds of access and direct, while the list only allows sequential access. Both are extremely popular data structure options while developing programs. also if you need assignment help online then contact our professional experts.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Which is a better array or list?
The list is better for frequent insertion and deletion, whereas arrays are better suited for regular access of elements scenarios.
Is the python list is a dynamic array?
In the python list, objects are mutable. This means that we can easily add or remove an item from the list during run time without specifying any size.
Why use an array instead of lists?
arrays can store data very compactly and are more efficient for storing large amounts of data. Arrays are great for numerical operations; the list cannot directly handle math operations.
