Is there any reason why an array in Java is an object?
Array is considered to be an object in Java. The reason behind this is that an array can be created using the 'new' keyword. The 'new' keyword/operator is always used to create an object. This is how an array is perceived as an object.
In the Java programming language, arrays are objects (§4.3. 1), are dynamically created, and may be assigned to variables of type Object (§4.3. 2).
The Array Object. Arrays are data structures that store information in a set of adjacent memory addresses. In practice, this means is that you can store other variables and objects inside an array and can retrieve them from the array by referring to their position number in the array.
Objects represent a special data type that is mutable and can be used to store a collection of data (rather than just a single value). Arrays are a special type of variable that is also mutable and can also be used to store a list of values.
Because the Java Language Specification says so :)
In the Java programming language arrays are objects (§4.3.1), are dynamically created, and may be assigned to variables of type Object (§4.3.2). All methods of class Object may be invoked on an array.
So, unlike C++, Java provides true arrays as first-class objects:
length
member. clone()
method which overrides the method of the same name in class Object
.Object
.Having arrays be objects means that you can do operations with them (e.g., someArray.count('foo')) instead of just doing it against them (e.g., count(someArray, 'foo')), which leads to more natural syntax.
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