An array is a data structure that allows you to store multiple values of the same type in a single variable. Arrays are used to organize and manage large sets of data efficiently by providing quick access to individual elements via their index or position. For example, an array can store a collection of integers, strings, or objects, making it easier to process data in loops or other operations.

Definition: An array is a data structure that holds a collection of elements, all of the same type, and allows accessing elements using an index.

Arrays can be either one-dimensional (like a simple list of numbers) or multi-dimensional (such as matrices or grids). In programming languages like C, Java, and Python, arrays provide a way to work with large collections of related data using a single name, helping to simplify code and improve performance. With arrays, you can access any element by its index, making it much faster than searching through multiple individual variables.

numbers = [10, 20, 30, 40]

Despite their many benefits, arrays have some limitations, such as a fixed size in most programming languages. If the size of an array needs to be dynamically adjusted, developers often use more flexible data structures like lists or vectors. Nonetheless, arrays remain one of the most important and widely used data structures in programming.