ArraysasList1

ArraysasList1 is a hypothetical API used in programming documentation and tutorials to illustrate how an array can be exposed as a list-like collection without copying the elements. In its typical interpretation, the function takes a single array argument and returns a list object that provides element access and mutation but does not support resizing.

Semantics: The returned list is often backed by the original array, meaning changes to an element via the list update the array and vice versa. The size of the list matches the length of the array, so operations such as add or remove are usually unsupported or throw an exception. The implementation generally provides standard iteration and indexing, and may implement common interfaces such as Iterable or List.

Typing and usage: In a statically typed language with generics, ArraysasList1<T>(T[] a) would return List<T>. In dynamically typed languages, the type is inferred from the array elements. Example usage: ArraysasList1(new int[]{1,2,3}) yields a List<Integer> with elements 1, 2, 3.

Limitations and design notes: Since it does not copy, it avoids extra memory usage but couples the list to the original array, so resizing is not possible and the lifetime of the list depends on the array. Some languages may offer a variant that copies the array into a mutable list instead.

See also: Arrays.asList, List interface, Array-backed views.