Rust Vectors: A Comprehensive Tutorial with Examples

Introduction to Rust Vectors

In Rust, vectors are dynamic arrays that can grow or shrink in size. They are a versatile data structure commonly used to store a collection of elements. This tutorial will walk you through the basics of working with vectors in Rust, including initialization, manipulation, and common operations.

Initializing Vectors

To create a new vector in Rust, you can use the vec![] macro or the Vec::new() function.

// Using vec![] macro
let mut vec1 = vec![1, 2, 3];

// Using Vec::new() function
let mut vec2: Vec<i32> = Vec::new();

Adding Elements to a Vector

You can add elements to a vector using the push method.

let mut vec = Vec::new();

vec.push(4);
vec.push(5);
vec.push(6);

Accessing Elements in a Vector

Elements in a vector can be accessed using indexing.

let vec = vec![1, 2, 3];

println!("First element: {}", vec[0]); // Output: 1

Iterating Over a Vector

You can iterate over the elements of a vector using a for loop or iterators.

let vec = vec![1, 2, 3];

for num in &vec {
    println!("{}", num);
}

Vector Operations

Vectors support various operations such as concatenation, slicing, and sorting.

let mut vec1 = vec![1, 2, 3];
let mut vec2 = vec![4, 5, 6];

// Concatenation
vec1.append(&mut vec2);

// Slicing
let slice = &vec1[1..3];

// Sorting
vec1.sort();

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you’ve learned the basics of working with vectors in Rust. Vectors are a powerful data structure that can be used in a wide range of scenarios. Experiment with vectors in your Rust projects to harness their flexibility and efficiency.