How to Convert an Array to an ArrayList in Java?

How can I transform a variable of type Element[] to an ArrayList<Element> in Java?

Element[] array = {new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3)};

Converting an array to an ArrayList in Java can be accomplished using the `Arrays.asList()` method or by manually creating a new ArrayList. This process allows you to take advantage of the dynamic features of ArrayLists, such as adding, removing, or resizing elements.

// Using Arrays.asList to convert an array to ArrayList
Element[] array = {new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3)};
ArrayList<Element> arrayList = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(array));

// Manual conversion
ArrayList<Element> arrayListManual = new ArrayList<>();
for (Element elem : array) {
    arrayListManual.add(elem);
}

Causes

• Understanding the differences between arrays and ArrayLists.
• The need for dynamic sizing when working with collections in Java.

Solutions

• Use `Arrays.asList()` to convert an array to a fixed-size list, then create a new ArrayList from that list.
• Manually populate an ArrayList by iterating over the elements of the array.

Mistake: Using `Arrays.asList(array)` directly assigns a fixed-size list to the ArrayList.

Solution: Wrap the result with `new ArrayList<>(...)` to create a resizable ArrayList.

Mistake: Assuming the ArrayList can directly hold a primitive array without conversion.

Solution: Convert the primitives to their respective wrapper classes, if needed.