How do sets and arrays compare in terms of performance?

How do sets and arrays compare in terms of performance?

Sets and arrays have different performance characteristics. Sets offer faster lookups and uniqueness, while arrays are better for ordered data.

Can you explain the time complexity for common operations in both?

Sure! For arrays, accessing an element is O(1), while adding or removing elements can be O(n). For sets, lookups and insertions are typically O(1) on average.

What about memory usage? Are sets more memory-intensive than arrays?

Yes, sets generally use more memory than arrays due to the overhead of maintaining unique elements and hash tables.

In what scenarios would you recommend using a set over an array?

Use a set when you need to ensure uniqueness or perform frequent membership checks. Arrays are better for ordered collections.