Jagged Array with Examples

Here I would like to explain

Jagged Array :

The elements of a jagged array can be of different sizes and dimensions . A jagged array can be also called  as "array of arrays."

It doesn't allocate memory while declaring an array.

How to Declare a Jagged Array : 

we can declare the jagged array as

int[][] jaggedArray = new int[5][];

Here int[5][] specifies number of rows are 5 fixed.

Following specifies number of columns  for reach row. here

Declaring Column sizes for each Row in Jagged array:

jaggedArray[0] = new int[3]; first row contains 3 integer values

jaggedArray[1] = new int[4];

jaggedArray[2] = new int[2];

jaggedArray[3] = new int[8];

jaggedArray[4] = new int[10];

you can not create a row of different type other than the declaring type. here you can create a

size of integer type only, you can not create int to string

jaggedArray[1] = new string[5];//Error

We can initialize Jagged arrays in Three ways

First Way:

jaggedArray[0] = new int[] { 3, 5, 7, };

jaggedArray[1] = new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4};

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 };

Second Way:

int[][] jaggedArray = new int[][]

{

                    new int[] { 3, 5, 7, },

                    new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4 },

                    new int[] { 1, 6 },

                    new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4, 6, 45, 67, 78 }

};

Third Way:

int[][] jaggedArray =

{

                    new int[] { 3, 5, 7, },

                    new int[] { 1, 0, 2, 4 },

                    new int[] {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8},

                    new int[] {4, 5, 6, 7, 8}

};

Example Program :