Difference Between Array of Characters and std::string in C++

In C++, we have character array and std::string class both of which are used to store the sequence of characters. The character arrays are a part of C-style programming on the other hand std::string is a part of the C++ standard library. In this article, we will discuss what are some major differences between the character array and std::string objects in C++.

Array of Characters

The array of characters or char array in C++ is used to store a sequence of characters in contiguous memory locations. It is terminated by a null character ('\0') that marks the end of the string.

Syntax

char charArrayName[size]; 

Example

// C++ program to demonstrate the declaration and
// initialization of a char array in C++.

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    // Declaring and initializing a char array
    char greeting[] = "Hello, Geek!";

    // Printing the content of the char array
    cout << greeting << endl;

    return 0;
}

Hello, Geek!

std::string in C++

The std::string is a class in C++ which is a part of STL (standard template library) and used to store sequence of characters. It is vastly used as it handles memory allocation and resizing automatically.

Syntax

string stringName = " "

Example

// C++ program to demonstrate the use of string
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    // Declaring and initializing an string
    string greeting = "Hello, Geek!";

    // Printing the content of the string
    cout << greeting << endl;

    // Using string member functions
    greeting += " How are you?";
    cout << greeting << endl;

    // Accessing the length of the string
    cout << "Length of the string: " << greeting.length()
         << endl;

    return 0;
}

Hello, Geek!
Hello, Geek! How are you?
Length of the string: 25

Difference between Char Array and String in c++

The below table illustrates the major differences between char array and string in C++.

Conclusion

In conclusion char arrays are mainly used because it offers simplicity and compatibility with C, making them suitable for certain scenarios. However, string provides a more robust features and is very easy to handle as it is dynamic and can easily handle memory allocation and resizing automatically.