C# Array Class

In the C# programming language, the array class is in the System namespace, which offers techniques for array creation, searching, sorting, and manipulating arrays. However, it is not part of the System.Collections namespace, it implements interfaces like IList, ICollection, and IEnumerable, which allows it to be treated as a collection.

Syntax of Array Class:

It has the following syntax.

Array arrayName = Array.CreateInstance(typeof(datatype), length);

In this syntax,

• ✅ arrayName: It represents the name of the array.
• ✅ typeof(datatype): It represents the data type of array elements.
• ✅ length: It represents the length of the array elements.

C# Array Class Example

Let’s take an example to define the array class in C#.

Example

using System;

namespace CSProgram

{

    class Program

    {

        static void Main(string[] args)

        {

            // declaring an array

            int[] originalarray = new int[6] { 5, 8, 9, 25, 0, 7 };

            // Create an empty array for copying

            int[] copiedArray = new int[6];

// calculate the length of the original array

            Console.WriteLine("The Length of original array: " + originalarray.Length);

            // Apply sorting to the original array

            Array.Sort(originalarray);

            Console.Write("The Sorted original array elements: ");

            // printing sorted array

            DisplayArray(originalarray);

            // searching the element

            Console.WriteLine(" \n The Index position of 25 is " + Array.IndexOf( originalarray, 25));

            // duplicate array to a sorted form

            Array.Copy(originalarray, copiedArray, originalarray.Length);

            Console.Write(" The Copied array elements: ");

            // print the copied array

            DisplayArray(copiedArray);

            // Reverse the sequence of the original array

            Array.Reverse(originalarray);

            Console.Write("\n The Original array in reverse order: ");

            // print the reversed array

            DisplayArray(originalarray);

        }

        // User-defined method to print array elements

        static void DisplayArray( int[] array )

        {

            foreach (int element in array)

            {

                Console.Write( element + " " );

            }

        }

    }

}

Output:

The Length of the original array: 6

The Sorted original array elements: 0 5 7 8 9 25 

The Index position of 25 is 5

The Copied array elements: 0 5 7 8 9 25 

The Original array in reverse order: 25 9 8 7 5 0

Explanation:

In this example, we create an integer array and assign the values to it. The elements are rearranged in a sorted order using the sort function , and then it prints the sorted elements. After that, it copies the sorted array into a new array and displays the copied values. Finally, it reverses the original array and prints the reversed elements.

Important Points of the Array Class in C#:

There are several important points of the array class in C#. Some of them are as follows:

• ✅ The length of an array is determined by how many elements it contains.
• ✅ The index of the first element of an array always starts with zero by default.
• ✅ An array has a default size of 2GB.
• ✅ The arrays with the same type use the same class object.

C# Array Properties

There are several properties of the array class in C#. Some of them are as follows:

C# Array Method

There are several methods of the array class in C#. Some of them are as follows:

Illustration of the Array Length property

Let’s take an illustrate example to determine the size of an array using the Length property in the C# programming language.

Example

using System;

class Program

{

    static void Main()

    {

        int[] num_bers = { 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 };

        Console.WriteLine("The length of an array is: " + num_bers.Length);

    }

}

Output:

The length of the array is: 5

Explanation:

In this example, first, we create an integer array and assign the values. After that, we use the Length property to calculate the size of an array. Finally, we use the Console.WriteLine function to print the output.

Example: Using the rank property to determine the array dimensions

Let’s take an illustrate example to calculate the array dimensions using the rank property.

Example

using System;		

class Program

{		

    static void Main()

    {

        // declaration of 1-D array

        int[] num_ber = { 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 };

        // Using Rank property to get the number of dimensions

        Console.WriteLine("The number of dimensions: " + num_ber.Rank);

        // displaying each element

        Console.WriteLine("The elements of the array:");

        for (int i = 0; i < num_ber.Length; i++)

        {

            Console.Write(num_ber[i] + " ");

        }

    }

}

Output:

The number of dimensions: 1

Elements of the array:

10 20 30 40 50

Explanation:

In this example, first, we create a one-dimensional array in C#, and then use the rank property to calculate the dimensions of the array. After that, we use the for loop to iterate over the elements of the array. Finally, we are using the Console.WriteLine function to print the output.

Conclusion

In the C# programming language, the array class is in the System namespace, which offers techniques for array creation, searching, sorting, and manipulating arrays. It is the key factor for any programmer to create a software application. It has several properties and methods to perform a particular task.

Array Class FAQs in C#

1) What is an Array Class in C#?

The array class is in the System namespace, which offers techniques for array creation, searching, sorting, and manipulating arrays. Although it is not part of the System.Collections namespace, it implements interfaces like IList, ICollection, and IEnumerable, which allows it to be treated as a collection.

2) Which namespaces contain the Array class in C#?

The array class is part of the System namespace in C#.

3) How do we find the length of an array in C#?

In C#, we can use the Length property to determine the length of an array.

int[] num_bers = { 1, 2, 3 };

Console.WriteLine(num_bers.Length);

4) Does C# support the multidimensional Array?

Yes, C# supports the multidimensional Array. The example of a multi-dimensional array is.

int[,] matrix = new int[2, 3]; 

matrix[0, 0] = 1;

matrix[0, 1] = 2;

matrix[0, 2] = 3;

matrix[1, 0] = 4;

matrix[1, 1] = 5;

matrix[1, 2] = 6;

5) Are the arrays in C# considered reference types or value types?

In the C# programming language, the array is a reference type. It holds the value type element, such as int, char, and bool.