Exploring Arrays of Structures in C: Efficient Data Organization and Management

Arrays of structures are a powerful feature in the C programming language that allows you to manage and organize data more efficiently. In this article, we will dive deep into the concept of arrays of structures, providing examples and insights on how to use them effectively.

Understanding Arrays of Structures

What are Arrays of Structures?

An array of structures is a data structure in C that combines the benefits of both arrays and structures. It allows you to create a collection of structure objects, where each element of the array is a structure. This concept is particularly useful when dealing with data that has a similar structure, such as records or items with multiple attributes.

Declaration and Initialization

To declare an array of structures, you define a structure type and then declare an array of that type. Here’s an example:

#include <stdio.h>
// Define a structure
struct Student {
    char name[50];
    int age;
    float marks;
};
int main() {
    // Declare an array of structures
    struct Student students[3];
    // Initialize array elements
    strcpy(students[0].name, "John Doe");
    students[0].age = 20;
    students[0].marks = 85.5;
    strcpy(students[1].name, "Jane Smith");
    students[1].age = 19;
    students[1].marks = 92.0;
    strcpy(students[2].name, "David Johnson");
    students[2].age = 21;
    students[2].marks = 78.75;
    // Access and display array elements
    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
        printf("Student %d\n", i + 1);
        printf("Name: %s\n", students[i].name);
        printf("Age: %d\n", students[i].age);
        printf("Marks: %.2f\n\n", students[i].marks);
    }
    return 0;
}

Student 1
Name: John Doe
Age: 20
Marks: 85.50

Student 2
Name: Jane Smith
Age: 19
Marks: 92.00

Student 3
Name: David Johnson
Age: 21
Marks: 78.75