Initializing std::array of std::std::arrays using uniform initialization in C++

24 Oct 2023

std::array is a container introduced in the C++ standard library that provides a fixed-size, array-like structure with a friendly interface. Let’s see how we can use it to initialize a multidimensional array.

First, we need to include the <array> header:

#include <array>

Next, we can define a multidimensional array of std::array using uniform initialization syntax. Here’s an example of initializing a 2x2 multidimensional array:

std::array<std::array<int, 2>, 2> myArray = { { {1, 2}, {3, 4} } };

In this example, myArray is an array of arrays. Each element of myArray is an std::array<int, 2>, representing a row in the multidimensional array.

We use double braces {{ ... }} to initialize myArray. The outer braces represent the outermost array, and the inner braces represent each inner array (row).

Finally, we provide the values to initialize the multidimensional array. In the above example, we initialize it with the values {1, 2} and {3, 4}.

You can access and manipulate individual elements of the multidimensional array using the usual notation, for example:

int element = myArray[0][1]; // Accessing the element at position (0, 1)
myArray[1][0] = 5; // Modifying the element at position (1, 0)

Using std::array and uniform initialization provides a concise and readable way to initialize and work with multidimensional arrays in C++. It helps ensure type safety and eliminates the hassle of manual initialization.

References: