Two different ways of declaring an array

Question

int arr[] = new int[6];  
int[] arr = new int[6];

What is difference between them?

If there is no difference then what is the purpose of having two different ways?

score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 25 '13 at 07:24

21

The difference is if you have multiple declarations. Otherwise it is a matter of taste

int[] a, b[]; // a is int[], b is int[][]
int a[], b[]; // a is int[], b is int[]

The int[] is preferred in Java. The older int a[] is to make C programmers happy. ;)

Confusingly you can write the following, due to obscure backward bug compatibility reasons. Don't do it.

public int method()[] {
    return new int[6];
}

answered Jun 25 '13 at 07:24

Peter Lawrey

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Knew this one,but just to confirm, I opened eclipse and tried..Meanwhile... you took 14 upvotes :) – Prasad Kharkar Jun 25 '13 at 07:34
@PrasadKharkar Only fast people survive :D – Maroun Jun 25 '13 at 07:36
Yeah, I'll become faster :) definitely... – Prasad Kharkar Jun 25 '13 at 07:37

Maroun · Answer 2 · 2013-06-25T07:33:26.320

8

Nothing. The latter is to make C programmers get used to Java :)

See this link, it answers your question.

Important thing to note:

int[] happyArray1, happyArray2;
int happyArray[], happyInt;

edited Jun 25 '13 at 07:33

answered Jun 25 '13 at 07:22

Maroun

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+1 for happyArray :). – Suresh Atta Jun 25 '13 at 07:30

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 25 '13 at 07:24

1

It's just some "sugar" that Java gives the programmers. It works exactly the same way and is equally efficient. It just makes it easier to learn the syntaxes.

answered Jun 25 '13 at 07:24

JREN

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Two different ways of declaring an array

3 Answers3