Offset (computer science)

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In computer science, an offset within an array or other data structure object is an integer indicating the distance (displacement) between the beginning of the object and a given element or point, presumably within the same object.^{[1]: 100–103} The concept of a distance is valid only if all elements of the object are of the same size (typically given in bytes or words).

For example, if A is an array of characters containing "abcdef", the fourth element containing the character 'd' has an offset of three from the start of A.