// NEW STYLE with generics

// converting an array to an ArrayList, with Generics
String[] animals = { "bear", "cougar", "wolverine"};
ArrayList<String> al = new ArrayList<String>( Arrays.asList( animals ) );

// converting an ArrayList to an array with generics.
String[] predators = al.toArray( new String[ al.size() ] );

// OLD STYLE, without generics

// converting an array to an ArrayList, without Generics
String[] animals = { "bear", "cougar", "wolverine"};
ArrayList al = new ArrayList( Arrays.asList( animals ) );

// converting an ArrayList to an array without generics,
String[] predators = (String[])al.toArray( new String[ al.size() ] );