How data layout in RAM memory?

Question

I have a basic architecture based question. How does multi dimensional arrays layout in memory? Is this correct that data layout linearly in memory? Is so, is it correct that in row major order data store based on row orders (first row store, then second row ...) and in column major data stores based on columns?

Thanks

Answer 1

The representation of an array depends upon the programming language. Most languages (the C abortion and its progeny being notable exceptions) represent arrays using a descriptor. The descriptor specifies the number of dimensions the upper and lower bounds of each dimension, and where the data is located.

Usually, the all the data for the array is stored contiguously. Even when stored contiguously the ordering depends upon the language. In some languages [0, 0, 0] is stored next to [1, 0, 0] (Column Major—e.g. FORTRAN)). In others [0, 0, 0] is next to [0, 0, 1] (and [0, 0, 0] and [1, 0, 0] are apart—row major—e.g., Pascal). Some languages, such as Ada, leave the ordering up to the compiler implementation.