How to shift elements in an array in Java?

November 9, 2021

To shift elements in an array in Java, use the System.arraycopy function.

Shift left

Here is how you can shift your array to the left:

int[] array = new int[] { 3, 5, 1, 9, 10 };

System.arraycopy(array, 1, array, 0, array.length - 1);

System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array)); // [5, 1, 9, 10, 10]

Shift right

Here is how you can shift your array to the right:

int[] array = new int[] { 3, 5, 1, 9, 10 };

System.arraycopy(array, 0, array, 1, array.length - 1);

System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array)); // [3, 3, 5, 1, 9]