How to Convert a String Array to an ArrayList in Java?

How can I convert a String array to an ArrayList in Java?

String[] words = new String[]{"ace", "boom", "crew", "dog", "eon"};

Converting a String array to an ArrayList in Java can be accomplished using multiple approaches, leveraging built-in methods for simplicity and efficiency. Below, we explore different ways to achieve this conversion, focusing on the most straightforward method using the Arrays utility class.

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class ConvertArrayToArrayList {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        String[] words = new String[]{"ace", "boom", "crew", "dog", "eon"};
        // Method 1: Using Arrays.asList()
        ArrayList<String> wordList = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(words));
        
        // Output the ArrayList
        System.out.println(wordList);
    }
}

Causes

• Understanding the need to work with collections instead of arrays.
• Familiarity with Java's Collection framework.

Solutions

• Use `Arrays.asList()` to convert the array to a List and then create an ArrayList from it.
• Manually iterate through the array and add each element to an ArrayList.

Mistake: Using Arrays.asList() without creating a new ArrayList leading to fixed-size list.

Solution: Wrap Arrays.asList() in a new ArrayList to create a resizable ArrayList.

Mistake: Not importing the required packages.

Solution: Ensure to import `java.util.ArrayList` and `java.util.Arrays`.