Array vs. String — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 14, 2024
An array is a collection of elements that can be of various data types, while a string is a specific type of array made up of a sequence of characters.
Difference Between Array and String
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
An array is a data structure used to store multiple values in a single variable, allowing for efficient data management and access. Whereas a string, although a type of array, specifically contains a sequence of characters, often representing textual data.
Arrays can hold different types of data depending on the programming language such as integers, objects, or even other arrays providing versatility in how data is organized and manipulated. On the other hand, strings are restricted to character data, making them specialized for handling textual content.
In terms of memory allocation, arrays may require more complex memory management depending on their size and the type of data they hold. Conversely, strings generally have simpler memory requirements since they are a contiguous sequence of characters.
When it comes to functionality, many programming languages offer extensive support for array operations, including sorting, merging, and multi-dimensional configurations. Strings, while also benefiting from specialized functions like concatenation and substring extraction, typically do not offer the broader data manipulation capabilities of arrays.
Arrays are fundamental in algorithms and data processing tasks, where the ability to index and iterate over elements is critical. Strings, while crucial for any operations involving text processing, such as parsing or formatting, are not as flexible in non-textual manipulations.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Type of Data
Can contain various types (integers, objects)
Contains characters
Usage
Data storage and manipulation
Textual data storage and manipulation
Memory Management
Complex depending on size and type
Simpler, linear structure
Functionality
Supports complex operations (sorting, merging)
Specialized text functions (concatenation)
Flexibility
Highly flexible in data manipulation
Primarily used for text
Compare with Definitions
Array
Data structure.
In Java, an array can store multiple int values.
String
Concatenation.
Concatenate hello and world to form hello world.
Array
Collection of elements.
The array [1, 2, 3] consists of three integers.
String
Character encoding.
Strings in HTML can include UTF-8 characters.
Array
Memory management.
Arrays in C++ need manual size declaration.
String
Material made of drawn-out, twisted fiber, used for fastening, tying, or lacing.
Array
An array is a systematic arrangement of similar objects, usually in rows and columns.
String
A strand or cord of such material.
Array
To set out for display or use; place in an orderly arrangement
Arrayed the whole regiment on the parade ground.
String
A cord stretched on an instrument and struck, plucked, or bowed to produce tones.
Array
To dress, especially in fine clothes; adorn.
String
Strings The section of a band or orchestra composed of stringed instruments, especially violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.
Array
An orderly, often imposing arrangement
An array of royal jewels.
String
Strings Stringed instruments or their players considered as a group.
Array
An impressively large number, as of persons or objects
An array of heavily armed troops.
An array of spare parts.
String
Something resembling a string or appearing as a long, thin line
Limp strings of hair.
Array
Splendid attire; fine clothing.
String
A plant fiber.
Array
A rectangular arrangement of quantities in rows and columns, as in a matrix.
String
(Physics) One of the extremely minute objects that form the basis of string theory.
Array
Numerical data linearly ordered by magnitude.
String
A set of objects threaded together or attached on a string
A string of beads.
Array
An arrangement of usually identical devices, often sensors, that function as a unit
An array of solar panels.
String
A number of objects arranged in a line
A string of islands.
Array
(Computers) A group of memory elements accessed by one or more indices.
String
(Computers) A set of consecutive characters.
Array
Clothing and ornamentation.
String
A series of similar or related acts, events, or items
A string of victories.
Array
7, Laws N21|url=http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/129.html|passage=Sovay, Sovay all on a day, She dressed herself in man's array, With a sword and a pistol all by her side, To meet her true love to meet her true love away did ride.}}
String
A set of animals, especially racehorses, belonging to a single owner; a stable.
Array
A collection laid out to be viewed in full.
String
A scattered group of businesses under a single ownership or management
A string of boutiques.
Array
An orderly series, arrangement or sequence.
String
A group of players ranked according to ability within a team
He made the second string.
Array
Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle.
Drawn up in battle array
String
A complete game consisting of ten frames in bowling.
Array
A large collection.
We offer a dazzling array of choices.
String
A stringboard.
Array
(mathematics) Common name for matrix.
String
A stringcourse.
Array
(programming) Any of various data structures designed to hold multiple elements of the same type; especially, a data structure that holds these elements in adjacent memory locations so that they may be retrieved using numeric indices.
String
(Games) The balk line in billiards.
Array
(legal) A ranking or setting forth in order, by the proper officer, of a jury as impanelled in a cause; the panel itself; or the whole body of jurors summoned to attend the court.
String
(Informal) A limiting or hidden condition. Often used in the plural
A gift with no strings attached.
Array
(military) A militia.
String
To fit or furnish with strings or a string
String a guitar.
String a tennis racket.
Array
A group of hedgehogs.
String
To stretch out or extend
String a wire across a room.
Array
A microarray.
String
To thread on a string
String popcorn.
Array
To clothe and ornament; to adorn or attire.
He was arrayed in his finest robes and jewels.
String
To arrange in a line or series
Strung the words into a sentence.
Array
To lay out in an orderly arrangement; to deploy or marshal.
String
To fasten, tie, or hang with a string or strings
String a hammock between trees.
Array
(legal) To set in order, as a jury, for the trial of a cause; that is, to call them one at a time.
String
To strip (vegetables) of fibers.
Array
Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle; as, drawn up in battle array.
Wedged together in the closest array.
String
To extend or progress in a string, line, or succession
"We followed the others stringing through the narrow paved paths" (Susan Richards Shreve).
Array
The whole body of persons thus placed in order; an orderly collection; hence, a body of soldiers.
A gallant array of nobles and cavaliers.
String
(countable) A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together.
Array
An imposing series of things.
Their long array of sapphire and of gold.
String
(uncountable) Such a structure considered as a substance.
Array
Dress; garments disposed in order upon the person; rich or beautiful apparel.
String
(countable) A thread
Array
A ranking or setting forth in order, by the proper officer, of a jury as impaneled in a cause.
String
(countable) Any similar long, thin and flexible object.
Array
To place or dispose in order, as troops for battle; to marshal.
By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,Each horseman drew his battle blade.
These doubts will be arrayed before their minds.
String
(musical instrument) A segment of wire (typically made of plastic or metal) or other material used as vibrating element on a musical instrument.
A violinstring
A bowstring
Array
To deck or dress; to adorn with dress; to cloth to envelop; - applied esp. to dress of a splendid kind.
Pharaoh . . . arrayed him in vestures of fine linen.
In gelid caves with horrid gloom arrayed.
String
(sports) A length of nylon or other material on the head of a racquet.
Array
To set in order, as a jury, for the trial of a cause; that is, to call them man by man.
String
A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung or arranged in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things arranged on a thread, or as if so arranged.
A string of shells or beads
A string of sausages
Array
An orderly arrangement;
An array of troops in battle order
String
(countable) A cohesive substance taking the form of a string.
The string of spittle dangling from his chin was most unattractive
Array
An impressive display;
It was a bewildering array of books
His tools were in an orderly array on the basement wall
String
(countable) A series of items or events.
A string of successes
Array
Especially fine or decorative clothing
String
(countable) The members of a sports team or squad regarded as most likely to achieve success. (Perhaps metaphorical as the "strings" that hold the squad together.) Often first string, second string etc.
Array
An arrangement of aerials spaced to give desired directional characteristics
String
(countable) In various games and competitions, a certain number of turns at play, of rounds, etc.
Array
Lay out in a line
String
(collective) A drove of horses, or a group of racehorses kept by one owner or at one stable.
Array
Align oneself with a group or a way of thinking
String
An ordered sequence of text characters stored consecutively in memory and capable of being processed as a single entity.
Array
Index-accessible.
Access the first element with array[0].
String
A stringed instrument.
Array
Multi-dimensional.
A two-dimensional array can represent a matrix.
String
The stringed instruments as a section of an orchestra, especially those played by a bow, or the persons playing those instruments.
String
The conditions and limitations in a contract collectively.
No strings attached
String
The main object of study in string theory, a branch of theoretical physics.
String
(slang) Cannabis or marijuana.
String
(billiards) Part of the game of billiards, where the order of the play is determined by testing who can get a ball closest to the bottom rail by shooting it onto the end rail.
String
The buttons strung on a wire by which the score is kept.
String
The points made in a game of billiards.
String
The line from behind and over which the cue ball must be played after being out of play, as by being pocketed or knocked off the table; also called the string line.
String
A strip, as of leather, by which the covers of a book are held together.
String
(archaic) A fibre, as of a plant; a little fibrous root.
String
(archaic) A nerve or tendon of an animal body.
String
(shipbuilding) An inside range of ceiling planks, corresponding to the sheer strake on the outside and bolted to it.
String
(botany) The tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericarp of leguminous plants.
The strings of beans
String
(mining) A small, filamentous ramification of a metallic vein.
String
(architecture) A stringcourse.
String
A hoax; a fake story.
String
Synonym of stable
String
(oil drilling) A column of drill pipe that transmits drilling fluid (via the mud pumps) and torque (via the kelly drive or top drive) to the drill bit.
String
(transitive) To put (items) on a string.
You can string these beads on to this cord to make a colorful necklace.
String
(transitive) To put strings on (something).
It is difficult to string a tennis racket properly.
String
(intransitive) To form into a string or strings, as a substance which is stretched, or people who are moving along, etc.
String
To drive the ball against the end of the table and back, in order to determine which player is to open the game.
String
(birdwatching) To deliberately state that a certain bird is present when it is not; to knowingly mislead other birders about the occurrence of a bird, especially a rarity; to misidentify a common bird as a rare species.
String
A small cord, a line, a twine, or a slender strip of leather, or other substance, used for binding together, fastening, or tying things; a cord, larger than a thread and smaller than a rope; as, a shoe string; a bonnet string; a silken string.
Round Ormond's knee thou tiest the mystic string.
String
A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung or arranged in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things arranged on a thread, or as if so arranged; a succession; a concatenation; a chain; as, a string of shells or beads; a string of dried apples; a string of houses; a string of arguments.
String
A strip, as of leather, by which the covers of a book are held together.
String
The cord of a musical instrument, as of a piano, harp, or violin; specifically (pl.), the stringed instruments of an orchestra, in distinction from the wind instruments; as, the strings took up the theme.
Me softer airs befit, and softer stringsOf lute, or viol still.
String
The line or cord of a bow.
He twangs the grieving string.
String
A fiber, as of a plant; a little, fibrous root.
Duckweed putteth forth a little string into the water, from the bottom.
String
A nerve or tendon of an animal body.
The string of his tongue was loosed.
String
An inside range of ceiling planks, corresponding to the sheer strake on the outside and bolted to it.
String
The tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericap of leguminous plants, and which is readily pulled off; as, the strings of beans.
String
A small, filamentous ramification of a metallic vein.
String
Same as Stringcourse.
String
The points made in a game.
String
In various indoor games, a score or tally, sometimes, as in American billiard games, marked by buttons threaded on a string or wire.
String
The line from behind and over which the cue ball must be played after being out of play as by being pocketed or knocked off the table; - called also string line.
String
A hoax; a trumped-up or "fake" story.
String
A sequence of similar objects or events sufficiently close in time or space to be perceived as a group; a string of accidents; a string of restaurants on a highway.
String
A one-dimensional string-like mathematical object used as a means of representing the properties of fundamental particles in string theory, one theory of particle physics; such hypothetical objects are one-dimensional and very small (10-33 cm) but exist in more than four spatial dimensions, and have various modes of vibration. Considering particles as strings avoids some of the problems of treating particles as points, and allows a unified treatment of gravity along with the other three forces (electromagnetism, the weak force, and the strong force) in a manner consistent with quantum mechanics. See also string theory.
String
To furnish with strings; as, to string a violin.
Has not wise nature strung the legs and feetWith firmest nerves, designed to walk the street?
String
To put in tune the strings of, as a stringed instrument, in order to play upon it.
For here the Muse so oft her harp has strung,That not a mountain rears its head unsung.
String
To put on a string; to file; as, to string beads.
String
To make tense; to strengthen.
Toil strung the nerves, and purified the blood.
String
To hoax; josh; jolly; often used with along; as, we strung him along all day until he realized we were kidding.
String
To form into a string or strings, as a substance which is stretched, or people who are moving along, etc.
String
A lightweight cord
String
Stringed instruments that are played with a bow;
The strings played superlatively well
String
A tightly stretched cord of wire or gut, which makes sound when plucked, struck, or bowed
String
A sequentially ordered set of things or events or ideas in which each successive member is related to the preceding;
A string of islands
Train of mourners
A train of thought
String
A linear sequence of symbols (characters or words or phrases)
String
A tie consisting of a cord that goes through a seam around an opening;
He pulled the drawstring and closed the bag
String
A collection of objects threaded on a single strand
String
A necklace made by a stringing objects together;
A string of beads
A strand of pearls
String
Thread on or as if on a string;
String pearls on a string
The child drew glass beads on a string
Thread dried cranberries
String
Add as if on a string;
String these ideas together
String up these songs and you'll have a musical
String
Move or come along
String
Stretch out or arrange like a string
String
String together; tie or fasten with a string;
String the package
String
Remove the stringy parts of;
String beans
String
Provide with strings;
String my guitar
String
Sequence of characters.
The string hello consists of 5 letters.
String
Immutable in some languages.
Once created, a string in Python cannot be changed.
String
Text manipulation.
Use substrings to extract he from hello.
Common Curiosities
What is a string?
A string is a sequence of characters used to represent text.
How are arrays different from strings?
Arrays can hold various types of data, while strings specifically hold characters.
Why use an array instead of multiple variables?
Arrays allow for more scalable and manageable code, especially when dealing with large data sets.
Are there specific functions for strings?
Yes, strings have functions like length, substring, and indexOf which are specialized for text manipulation.
What is an array?
An array is a collection of items stored at contiguous memory locations.
Can strings be part of an array?
Yes, strings can be elements within an array, allowing for arrays of strings.
Can arrays hold strings?
Yes, an array can hold strings among other data types.
How do strings handle memory in programming?
Strings generally occupy memory based on the number of characters they contain, often with some additional overhead for management.
What operations can you perform on arrays that you can't on strings?
Arrays can be resized, and elements can be of any type, unlike strings which are typically fixed-length and character-only.
How do programming languages typically treat strings?
Most languages treat strings as arrays of characters but with additional functionalities for easier text management.
What are the performance implications of using arrays?
Depending on the type and size, arrays might impact performance due to the need for memory allocation and management.
What is the advantage of string-specific functions?
They simplify common text operations, making code more readable and efficient.
How are strings stored in memory?
Strings are stored in contiguous memory spaces, making them easy to access and manipulate.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Kiwi vs. Maori
Next Comparison
DNA vs. cDNAAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
