Time complexity for java ArrayList

An ArrayList in Java is a List that is backed by an array.

The get(index) method is a constant time, O(1), operation.

The code straight out of the Java library for ArrayList.get(index):

public E get(int index) {
    RangeCheck(index);
    return (E) elementData[index];
}

Basically, it just returns a value straight out of the backing array. (RangeCheck(index)) is also constant time)


It's implementation is done with an array and the get operation is O(1).

javadoc says:

The size, isEmpty, get, set, iterator, and listIterator operations run in constant time. The add operation runs in amortized constant time, that is, adding n elements requires O(n) time. All of the other operations run in linear time (roughly speaking). The constant factor is low compared to that for the LinkedList implementation.