Jagged Array in C# - C# Corner

The elements of a jagged array can be of different dimensions and sizes. A jagged array is sometimes called an "array of arrays." A special type ... JaggedArrayinC# C#Curator UpdateddateMar07,2020 433.2k 0 4 AC#jaggedarrayisanarraywhoseelementsarearrays.Inthisarticle,IwillexplainjaggedarrayinC#andhowtoimplementjaggedarraysinC#. facebook twitter linkedIn Reddit WhatsApp Email Bookmark Print OtherArtcile Expand Inthisarticle,IwillexplainaboutjaggedarrayinC#.   WhatisajaggedarraysinC#   AjaggedarrayinC#isanarraywhoseelementsarearrays.Theelementsofajaggedarraycanbeofdifferentdimensionsandsizes.Ajaggedarrayissometimescalledan"arrayofarrays."AspecialtypeofarrayisintroducedinC#.AJaggedArrayisanarrayofanarrayinwhichthelengthofeacharrayindexcandiffer.   Example: int[][] jagArray = new int[5][];   Intheabovedeclarationtherowsarefixedinsize.Butcolumnsarenotspecifiedastheycanvary.   Declaringandinitializingjaggedarray int[][] jaggedArray = new int[5][];  jaggedArray[0] = new int[3];  jaggedArray[1] = new int[5];  jaggedArray[2] = new int[2];  jaggedArray[3] = new int[8];  jaggedArray[4] = new int[10];  jaggedArray[0] = new int[] { 3, 5, 7, };  jaggedArray[1] = new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6 };  jaggedArray[2] = new int[] { 1, 6 };  jaggedArray[3] = new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6, 45, 67, 78 };  jaggedArray[4] = new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6, 34, 54, 67, 87, 78 };   Youcanalsoinitializethearrayupondeclarationlikethis: int[][] jaggedArray = new int[][]  {  new int[] { 3, 5, 7, },  new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6 },  new int[] { 1, 6 },  new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6, 45, 67, 78 }  };   Youcanusethefollowingshorthandform: int[][] jaggedArray =  {  new int[] { 3, 5, 7, },  new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6 },  new int[] {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8},  new int[] {4, 5, 6, 7, 8}  };   Note:Noticethatyoucannotomitthenewoperatorfromtheelementsinitializationbecausethereisnodefaultinitializationfortheelements.   Jaggedarrayreallifeexample   Youcanconsiderjaggedarrayasamovieticketcounterwhereticketsellingcountersarefixed(rowsarefixed)butyoudon'tknowhowmanypeoplewillbestandingineachcounterinaqueue(columnnumbersarenotfixedcanvaryondifferentrows).   Ajaggedarrayisanarrayofarrays,andthereforeitselementsarereferencetypesandareinitializedtonull.   Itispossibletomixjaggedandmultidimensionalarrays.Thefollowingisadeclarationandinitializationofasingle-dimensionaljaggedarraythatcontainstwo-dimensionalarrayelementsofdifferentsizes: int[][,] jaggedArray = new int[4][,]  {  new int[,] { {11,23}, {58,78} },  new int[,] { {50,62}, {45,65}, {85,15} },  new int[,] { {245,365}, {385,135} },  new int[,] { {1,2}, {4,4}, {4,5} }  };   WeshouldbecarefulusingmethodslikeGetLowerBound(),GetUpperBound,GetLength,etc.withjaggedarrays.Sincejaggedarraysareconstructedoutofsingle-dimensionalarrays,theyshouldn'tbetreatedashavingmultipledimensionsinthesamewaythatrectangulararraysdo.   Practicaldemonstrationofjaggedarrayofintegers using System;  namespace jagged_array  {      class Program      {          static void Main(string[] args)          {              // Declare the array of four elements:              int[][] jaggedArray = new int[4][];              // Initialize the elements:              jaggedArray[0] = new int[2] { 7, 9 };              jaggedArray[1] = new int[4] { 12, 42, 26, 38 };              jaggedArray[2] = new int[6] { 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 };              jaggedArray[3] = new int[3] { 4, 6, 8 };              // Display the array elements:              for (int i = 0; i