Whats the difference? Pointer to an array vs regular array

Question

I\'m familiar with Java and trying to teach myself C/C++. I\'m stealing some curriculum from a class that is hosting their materials here. I unfortunately can\'t ask the tea

Answer 1

First, I'd look for some other place to learn C++. The page you cite is very confusing, and has little to do with the way one actually programs in C++. In C++, most of the time, you'd use std::vector for an array, not the complex solutions proposed on the page you cite. In practice, you never use operator new[] (an array new).

In fact, std::vector is in some ways more like ArrayList than simple arrays in Java; unlike an array in Java, you can simply grow the vector by inserting elements into it, preferrably at the end. And it supports iterators, although C++ iterators are considerably different than Java iterators. On the other hand, you can access it using the [] operator, like a normal array.

The arrays described on the page you cite are usually called C style arrays. In C++, their use is mostly limited to objects with static lifetime, although they do occasionally appear in classes. In any case, they are never allocated dynamically.