Slices: dynamic views into arrays

If arrays represent a bunch of data locked away in a safe with a combination set at compile time, slices are more like having a flexible window you can slide around to see a portion of that data at runtime. Think of arrays as rigid, stuck-up aristocrats who know exactly how big their empire is at birth, and slices as the cunning rogues who can dart through a castle’s corridors, choosing which rooms to view at any moment. Both have their place, but slices often give you the freedom and runtime agility that arrays cannot.

Let’s build this up step by step with some code that doesn’t just rehash hello and random integers. We’ll start with an array scenario and then create slices from it, progressively increasing the complexity so that, by the end, you’ll be nodding knowingly and sipping your coffee smugly.

Step 1: Arrays and their royal stubbornness

First, we begin with a noble array. Let’s say we...