For simplicity, we can think of an array a fleet of stairs where on each step is placed a value (let’s say one of your friends). Here, you can identify the location of any of your friends by simply knowing the count of the steps they are on. The array can be handled in Python by a module named array. They can be useful when we have to manipulate only specific data type values. A user can treat lists as arrays. However, the user cannot constrain the type of elements stored in a list. If you create arrays using the array module, all elements of the array must be of the same type.
What is an Array in Python?
An array is a collection of items stored at contiguous memory locations. The idea is to store multiple items of the same type together. This makes it easier to calculate the position of each element by simply adding an offset to a base value, i.e., the memory location of the first element of the array (generally denoted by the name of the array).
Creating an Array
Array in Python can be created by importing an array module. array(data_type, value_list) is used to create an array with data type and value list specified in its arguments.
Python3
# Python program to demonstrate # Creation of Array # importing "array" for array creations import array as arr # creating an array with integer type a = arr.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]) # printing original array print ( "The new created array is : " , end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 3 ): print (a[i], end = " " ) print () # creating an array with double type b = arr.array( 'd' , [ 2.5 , 3.2 , 3.3 ]) # printing original array print ( "\nThe new created array is : " , end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 3 ): print (b[i], end = " " ) |
The new created array is : 1 2 3 The new created array is : 2.5 3.2 3.3
Complexities for Creation of Arrays:
Time Complexity: O(1)
Auxiliary Space: O(n)
Some of the data types are mentioned below which will help in creating an array of different data types.
Adding Elements to a Array
Elements can be added to the Array by using built-in insert() function. Insert is used to insert one or more data elements into an array. Based on the requirement, a new element can be added at the beginning, end, or any given index of array. append() is also used to add the value mentioned in its arguments at the end of the array.
Python3
# Python program to demonstrate # Adding Elements to a Array # importing "array" for array creations import array as arr # array with int type a = arr.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]) print ( "Array before insertion : " , end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 3 ): print (a[i], end = " " ) print () # inserting array using # insert() function a.insert( 1 , 4 ) print ( "Array after insertion : " , end = " " ) for i in (a): print (i, end = " " ) print () # array with float type b = arr.array( 'd' , [ 2.5 , 3.2 , 3.3 ]) print ( "Array before insertion : " , end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 3 ): print (b[i], end = " " ) print () # adding an element using append() b.append( 4.4 ) print ( "Array after insertion : " , end = " " ) for i in (b): print (i, end = " " ) print () |
Array before insertion : 1 2 3 Array after insertion : 1 4 2 3 Array before insertion : 2.5 3.2 3.3 Array after insertion : 2.5 3.2 3.3 4.4
Complexities for Adding elements to the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(1)/O(n) ( O(1) – for inserting elements at the end of the array, O(n) – for inserting elements at the beginning of the array and to the full array
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Accessing Elements from the Array
In order to access the array items refer to the index number. Use the index operator [ ] to access an item in a array. The index must be an integer.
Python3
# Python program to demonstrate # accessing of element from list # importing array module import array as arr # array with int type a = arr.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]) # accessing element of array print ( "Access element is: " , a[ 0 ]) # accessing element of array print ( "Access element is: " , a[ 3 ]) # array with float type b = arr.array( 'd' , [ 2.5 , 3.2 , 3.3 ]) # accessing element of array print ( "Access element is: " , b[ 1 ]) # accessing element of array print ( "Access element is: " , b[ 2 ]) |
Output :
Access element is: 1
Access element is: 4
Access element is: 3.2
Access element is: 3.3
Complexities for accessing elements in the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(1)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Removing Elements from the Array
Elements can be removed from the array by using built-in remove() function but an Error arises if element doesn’t exist in the set. Remove() method only removes one element at a time, to remove range of elements, iterator is used. pop() function can also be used to remove and return an element from the array, but by default it removes only the last element of the array, to remove element from a specific position of the array, index of the element is passed as an argument to the pop() method.
Note – Remove method in List will only remove the first occurrence of the searched element.
Python3
# Python program to demonstrate # Removal of elements in a Array # importing "array" for array operations import array # initializing array with array values # initializes array with signed integers arr = array.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 5 ]) # printing original array print ( "The new created array is : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 5 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) print ( "\r" ) # using pop() to remove element at 2nd position print ( "The popped element is : " , end = "") print (arr.pop( 2 )) # printing array after popping print ( "The array after popping is : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 4 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) print ( "\r" ) # using remove() to remove 1st occurrence of 1 arr.remove( 1 ) # printing array after removing print ( "The array after removing is : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 3 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) |
The new created array is : 1 2 3 1 5 The popped element is : 3 The array after popping is : 1 2 1 5 The array after removing is : 2 1 5
Complexities for Removing elements in the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(1)/O(n) ( O(1) – for removing elements at the end of the array, O(n) – for removing elements at the beginning of the array and to the full array
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Slicing of an Array
In Python array, there are multiple ways to print the whole array with all the elements, but to print a specific range of elements from the array, we use Slice operation. Slice operation is performed on array with the use of colon(:). To print elements from beginning to a range use [:Index], to print elements from end use [:-Index], to print elements from specific Index till the end use [Index:], to print elements within a range, use [Start Index:End Index] and to print whole List with the use of slicing operation, use [:]. Further, to print whole array in reverse order, use [::-1].
Python3
# Python program to demonstrate # slicing of elements in a Array # importing array module import array as arr # creating a list l = [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ] a = arr.array( 'i' , l) print ( "Initial Array: " ) for i in (a): print (i, end = " " ) # Print elements of a range # using Slice operation Sliced_array = a[ 3 : 8 ] print ( "\nSlicing elements in a range 3-8: " ) print (Sliced_array) # Print elements from a # pre-defined point to end Sliced_array = a[ 5 :] print ( "\nElements sliced from 5th " "element till the end: " ) print (Sliced_array) # Printing elements from # beginning till end Sliced_array = a[:] print ( "\nPrinting all elements using slice operation: " ) print (Sliced_array) |
Initial Array: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Slicing elements in a range 3-8: array('i', [4, 5, 6, 7, 8]) Elements sliced from 5th element till the end: array('i', [6, 7, 8, 9, 10]) Printing all elements...
Searching Element in an Array
In order to search an element in the array we use a python in-built index() method. This function returns the index of the first occurrence of value mentioned in arguments.
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate # searching an element in array # importing array module import array # initializing array with array values # initializes array with signed integers arr = array.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 2 , 5 ]) # printing original array print ( "The new created array is : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) print ( "\r" ) # using index() to print index of 1st occurrence of 2 print ( "The index of 1st occurrence of 2 is : " , end = "") print (arr.index( 2 )) # using index() to print index of 1st occurrence of 1 print ( "The index of 1st occurrence of 1 is : " , end = "") print (arr.index( 1 )) |
The new created array is : 1 2 3 1 2 5 The index of 1st occurrence of 2 is : 1 The index of 1st occurrence of 1 is : 0
Complexities for searching elements in the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Updating Elements in a Array
In order to update an element in the array we simply reassign a new value to the desired index we want to update.
Python3
# Python code to demonstrate # how to update an element in array # importing array module import array # initializing array with array values # initializes array with signed integers arr = array.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 1 , 2 , 5 ]) # printing original array print ( "Array before updation : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) print ( "\r" ) # updating a element in a array arr[ 2 ] = 6 print ( "Array after updation : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) print () # updating a element in a array arr[ 4 ] = 8 print ( "Array after updation : " , end = "") for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (arr[i], end = " " ) |
Array before updation : 1 2 3 1 2 5 Array after updation : 1 2 6 1 2 5 Array after updation : 1 2 6 1 8 5
Complexities for updating elements in the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Different Operations on Python Arrays
Counting Elements in a Array
In order to count elements in an array we need to use count method.
Python3
import array # Create an array of integers my_array = array.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 2 , 5 , 2 ]) # Count the number of occurrences of the element 2 in the array count = my_array.count( 2 ) # Print the result print ( "Number of occurrences of 2:" , count) |
Number of occurrences of 2: 3
Complexities for counting elements in the Arrays
Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)
Reversing Elements in a Array
In order to reverse elements of an array we need to simply use reverse method.
Python3
import array # Create an array of integers my_array = array.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]) # Print the original array print ( "Original array:" , * my_array) # Reverse the array in place my_array.reverse() # Print the reversed array print ( "Reversed array:" , * my_array) |
Original array: 1 2 3 4 5 Reversed array: 5 4 3 2 1
Complexities for reversing elements in the Arrays:
Time Complexity: O(n)
Auxiiary Space: O(1)
Extend Element from Array
In the article,we will cover the python list extend() and try to understand the Python list extend().
What is extend element from array?
In Python, an array is used to store multiple values or elements of the same datatype in a single variable. The extend() function is simply used to attach an item from iterable to the end of the array. In simpler terms, this method is used to add an array of values to the end of a given or existing array.
Syntax of list extend()
The syntax of the extend() method:
list.extend(iterable)
Here,all the element of iterable are added to the end of list1
Example 1:
Python3
#Python program to demonstrate # importing "array" for array creations import array as arr # array with int type a = arr.array( 'i' , [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]) #printing original array print ( "The before array extend : " , end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 5 ): print (a[i], end = " " ) print () #creating an array with using extend method a.extend([ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]) #printing original array print ( "\nThe array after extend :" ,end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 10 ): print (a[i],end = " " ) print () |
The before array extend : 1 2 3 4 5 The array after extend : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Example 2:
Python3
# Creation of Array # importing "array" for array creations import array as arr #creating an array with integer type a = arr.array( 'i' ,[ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]) # printing original array print ( "The Before extend array is :" ,end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (a[i],end = " " ) print () # creating an array with using extend method a.extend([ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]) # printing original array print ( "\nThe After extend array is :" ,end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 12 ): print (a[i],end = " " ) print () #array with float type b = arr.array( 'd' , [ 2.1 , 2.2 , 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 , 2.6 ]) print ( "\nThe before extend array is :" ,end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 6 ): print (b[i],end = " " ) print () #extend function using pass the elements b.extend([ 2.6 , 2.7 , 2.8 , 2.9 ]) print ( "\nThe after extend array is :" ,end = " " ) for i in range ( 0 , 9 + 1 ): print (b[i],end = " " ) print () |
The Before extend array is : 1 2 3 4 5 6 The After extend array is : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 The before extend array is : 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 The after extend array is : 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2...
Complexities for extend element from array:
Time Complexity: O(1)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)