为什么Java中的数组不能使用类型擦除？

Question

I noticed we're unable to create arrays of a generic type in Java, like below:

public class ExampleClass<G> {
  private G[] genericArray = new G[arraySize];
}

I've read that this is due to the way Java handles generics, using type erasure. My understanding of type erasure is that the generic is just replaced by the most specific superclass container - so if we provide no bound, every instance of G is just replaced by Object .

Why can't this be done with the array, creating an array of type Object ?

Answer 1

If this were allowed, and G were erased to Object , then the following wouldn't work:

ExampleClass<String> foo = new ExampleClass<>();
String[] array = foo.genericArray;

because genericArray would be an Object[] , not a String[] .