Variable-Sized vs. Literal-Sized Arrays in C : Which Initialization Method Should You Use?

Array Initialization: Variable-Sized Arrays vs. Literal-Size Arrays

In C , arrays can be initialized with either a variable size or a numeric literal. However, there is a key distinction between these two methods of initialization that can lead to errors.

Variable-Sized Arrays

Declaring an array with a variable size, such as double tenorData[n], may not be legal in strict C . Variable length arrays are not part of the C standard, but some compilers, like G , may allow them as an extension. However, this can result in errors if the compiler is set to adhere to the C standard.

Numeric Literal Arrays

On the other hand, declaring an array with a numeric literal, such as double tenorData[10], is legal in C . It initializes the array with a fixed size of 10 elements.

Solution for Variable-Sized Arrays

If you require a dynamically sized array, there are several options available:

• Dynamic Memory Allocation: Use new and delete[] to manually allocate and deallocate memory for an array of the desired size.
• Standard Containers: Utilize containers such as std::vector that automatically handle memory management and allow for dynamic resizing.
• Constant-Sized Arrays: Declare an array with a constant size using const, ensuring that the size is known at compile time. Alternatively, use a constexpr function to calculate the size in C 11.

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