Array.create and jagged array

Question

Can\'t understand the reason of such behavior:

let example count = 
    let arr = Array.create 2 (Array.zeroCreate count)
    for i in [0..count - 1] do
             


        

Answer 1

When you write:

let arr = Array.create 2 (Array.zeroCreate count)

You are creating an array where each element is a reference to the same array. This means that mutating a value using arr.[0] also mutates the value in arr.[1] - because the two array elements are pointing to the same mutable array. You end up with:

[| x  ; x |]
    \  /
 [| 0; 0 |]

When you write:

let arr = Array.init 2 (fun _ -> Array.zeroCreate count)

The provided function is called for each position in the arr array and so you'll end up with different array for each element (and so arr.[0] <> arr.[1]). You end up with:

     [| x ;  y |]
       /       \
[| 0; 0 |]   [| 0; 0 |]