arraybased

Arraybased is an informal descriptor used in computing to refer to systems, algorithms, or programming styles that rely primarily on arrays as the fundamental data structure or representation. It is not a formal standard, but a descriptive label that emphasizes array-centric design.

In programming languages, array-based programming languages treat arrays as first-class values and enable operations that apply to whole arrays rather than single elements. This paradigm is seen in languages such as APL, MATLAB, NumPy-based Python code, and R, where vectorized operations can express ideas concisely and support data-parallel execution.

Array-based implementations typically store data contiguously in memory, enabling constant-time indexed access and good cache locality. They are efficient for sequential processing and scenarios with fixed or predictably growing size. Dynamic arrays mitigate fixed capacity through amortized resizing, but insertions or deletions in the middle can be expensive because elements must be shifted.

Applications of arraybased approaches appear in scientific computing, graphics, and data processing. Array databases and array-processing frameworks treat multi-dimensional arrays as first-class citizens, while GPU computing and vector processors rely on large data-parallel operations over arrays to achieve high performance.

Because arraybased describes a design choice rather than a formal specification, its exact meaning can vary across domains. It is common to contrast arraybased approaches with pointer-based or list-based alternatives.