Array Definition: An array is a data structure that stores multiple elements, usually of the same type.
List in Python: Python’s built-in list can be used as an array. It can hold elements of different types and is dynamic.
Array Module: Python has an array module for creating arrays with fixed types (e.g., integers or floats), offering better memory efficiency for large data.
List Example: my_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] is a typical list, supporting mixed data types.
Array Module Example: Using array.array('i', [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]), where 'i' denotes integers.
Type Restriction: Arrays from the array module require a specific type for all elements (e.g., int, float).
Memory Efficiency: Arrays are more memory-efficient than lists for large datasets because they store items in a compact format.
Accessing Elements: Both lists and arrays allow accessing elements via index (e.g., my_array[0]).
NumPy Arrays: For advanced numerical tasks, NumPy arrays (ndarray) provide multi-dimensional arrays and efficient mathematical operations.
Use Case: Lists are ideal for general-purpose data storage, while arrays (from the array module or NumPy) are better for numerical computations and performance.