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Both hash tables and arrays are data structures used in computer science to store and process a collection of elements. However, there are some important differences between these two data structures.
An array stores elements in a continuous storage area and provides fast access to elements by their index position. Arrays are efficient for accessing elements when the index is known. However, inserting or deleting elements in an array can be expensive because all elements must be reallocated when the size of the array is changed.
Hash tables, on the other hand, store elements in an associative data structure that uses key-value pairs. A hash table provides quick access to elements by their key. Inserting, deleting, and searching for elements in a hash table is generally efficient, especially for large data sets, but elements may not be accessed in any particular order.
In general, an array is best suited when elements are accessed by their position and when the size of the records is known and stable. A hash table is ideal when elements are accessed by their key and when the size of the records is variable.