Java Program to Find the Smallest Number in an Array

In the previous article, we have seen Java Program to Find the Largest Number in an Array

In this article we are going to see how we can find the smallest element in an array.

Java Program to Find the Smallest Number in an Array

Array is a data structure which stores a fixed size sequential collection of values of single type. Where with every array elements/values memory location is associated. Each array elements have it’s own index where array index starts from 0.

In Array set of variables referenced by a single variable name and it’s array index position. It is also called as a container object which contains elements of similar type.

Declaration of an array:

dataType[] arrayName; (or)                              //Declaring an array
dataType []arrayName; (or)
dataType arr[];

Instantiation of an Array:

arrayName = new datatype[size];                    //Allocating memory to array

Combining both Statements in One:

dataType[] arrayName = new dataType[size] //Declaring and Instantiating array

Initialization of an Array:

arrayName[index-0]= arrayElement1             //Initializing the array

...

arrayName[index-s]= arrayElementS

Combining all Statements in One:

dataType arrayName[ ]={e1,e2,e3};               //declaration, instantiation and initialization

Let’s see different ways to find smallest element in the array.

By Comparing Array Elements
By Using Arrays.sort Method
By Using array list and collections
By Using Stream API

Method-1: Java Program to Find the smallest Number in an Array By Comparing Array Elements

Approach:

Take an array with elements in it.
Print the array elements.
Create a variable and store the first element of the array in it.
Compare the variable with the whole array to find and store the largest element.
Print the largest element.

Program:

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class Main
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating the array
        int arr[] = {12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6};

        // Initializing the first element of the array to small
        int small=arr[0];        
        
        // Compares all the element to find out the smallest one
        for(int i:arr)
        {
            if(small>i)
                small=i;
        }

        // Prints the array elements
        System.out.println("The array elements are"+Arrays.toString(arr));
        
        // Prints the smallest element
        System.out.println("The smallest element of the array is: "+small);
    }
}

Output:

The array elements are[12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6]
The smallest element of the array is: 2

Method-2: Java Program to Find the Smallest Number in an Array By Using Arrays.sort Method

Approach:

Take an array with elements in it.
Print the array elements.
Use Arrays.sort function to sort the array in ascending order.
Print the first element.

Program:

 import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class Main
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating the array
        int arr[] = {12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6};
        
        // Sorts the array in ascending order
        Arrays.sort(arr);

        // Prints the array elements
        System.out.println("The array elements are"+Arrays.toString(arr));
        
        // Prints the largest element
        System.out.println("The smallest element of the array is: "+arr[0]);
    }
}

Output:

The array elements are[2, 6, 12, 20, 34, 54]
The smallest element of the array is: 2

Method-3: Java Program to Find the Smallest Number in an Array By Using array list and collections

Approach:

Take an array with elements in it.
Print the array elements.
Convert the array elements into a list.
Use the Collection.sort function to sort the list in ascending order.
Print the first element.

Program:

import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;
public class array{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating the array
        Integer arr[] = {12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6};
        
        // Converts the array into a list
        List<Integer> list=Arrays.asList(arr);
        // Sorts the array in ascending order  
        Collections.sort(list);  

        // Prints the array elements
        System.out.println("The array elements are"+Arrays.toString(arr));
        
        // Prints the smallest element
        System.out.println("The smallest element of the array is: "+list.get(0));
    }
}

Output:

The array elements are[2, 6, 12, 20, 34, 54]
The largest element of the array is: 2

Method-4: Java Program to Find the Smallest Number in an Array By Using Stream API

Approach:

Take an array with elements in it.
Print the array elements.
Pass the array into the stream function mix( ) to find out the smallest element.
Print the element.

Program:

import java.util.*;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class Main
{
    public static void main(String args[])
    {
        // Creating the array
        int arr[] = {12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6};
        
        // Using the stream API
        int small = Arrays.stream(arr).min().getAsInt();  

        // Prints the array elements
        System.out.println("The array elements are"+Arrays.toString(arr));
        
        // Prints the smallest element
        System.out.println("The smallest element of the array is: "+ small);
    }
}

Output:

The array elements are[12, 2, 34, 20, 54, 6]
The small element of the array is: 2

Enhancing programming skills is very important no matter what language you have chosen. So, practice frequently with these simple java programs examples and excel in coding the complex logic.

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