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Question 6 of 68

What are slices and how do they differ from arrays?

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A slice is a growable view over an array, while an array has a fixed size. An array's size is part of its type, so [5]int and [6]int are different types. A slice is a small header of three fields: a pointer to the array, a length and a capacity.

Arrays are values, so assigning one copies every element. Assigning a slice copies only its header, so both slices share the same elements.

// Array - fixed size
var arr [5]int = [5]int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

// Slice - dynamic size
var slice []int = []int{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
slice = append(slice, 6) // Can grow

// Creating slices
slice1 := make([]int, 5)      // length 5, capacity 5
slice2 := make([]int, 5, 10)  // length 5, capacity 10

Most Go code uses slices, because they grow with built-in functions like append() and pass cheaply to functions.

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Assigning an array vs assigning a slice
Assign an arrayb := a; b[0] = 9
Variables
a[1 2 3 4 5]
b[9 2 3 4 5]

Arrays like [5]int are values, so b gets its own five elements. Setting b[0] leaves a as it was.

Assign a sliceb := a; b[0] = 9
Variables
a1
b2
Memory
1slice header a
ptr3
len5
cap5
2slice header b
ptr3
len5
cap5
3backing array
[0]9
[1]2
[2]3
[3]4
[4]5

Go copies only the header: a pointer, length and capacity. Both share one array, so a[0] is 9 too.

Assigning an array copies all five elements, but assigning a slice copies only its header, so both slices change the same backing array.

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