[DS:3.2]Understanding Java‘s Memory Management and Array Return Mechanism

• Grade 1:
  • In Java, an array is an object.
  • All objects, including arrays, are stored in the heap memory.
  • When a function returns an array, it returns a reference (address) to that array.
• Grade 2:
  • References to objects (like arrays) are stored in the stack memory.
  • This reference points to the actual array object in the heap memory.
  • When an array is returned from a function, the reference to the array is passed, not the actual content of the array.
• Grade 3:
  • Any changes made to the array outside the function are reflected in the original array because they share the same reference.
  • However, if a new array is created inside the function and assigned to the original array variable, changes made to the new array won't affect the original one, as the reference now points to the new array.
  • ！理解：If I don't create a new array(without this:b = new int[1]), the variables refer to the same array object. But if I create a new array, regardless of whether I directly assign it as the original array, it will always be a new array. Even if it looks like a = {1}, b = new int[1], b = a,b={2}, resulting in a = {2}, it won't happen. a is still {1}.
• Grade 4:
  • Understanding that objects (including arrays) in Java are manipulated through references rather than directly is crucial.
  • This memory management mechanism allows objects to persist across method calls and enables sharing of object references across different methods.
• Implication:
  • Understanding this is important when dealing with data structures in Java, especially when you need to manipulate the data and want to understand where and how it is stored and how it behaves when it is passed around in your code.