Given:

Element[] array = new Element[] { new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3) };

The simplest answer is to do:

List<Element> list = Arrays.asList(array);

This will work fine. But some caveats:

1. The list returned from asList has fixed size. So, if you want to be able to add or remove elements from the returned list in your code, you'll need to wrap it in a new ArrayList. Otherwise you'll get an UnsupportedOperationException.
2. The list returned from asList() is backed by the original array. If you modify the original array, the list will be modified as well. This may be surprising.

^{(old thread, but just 2 cents as none mention Guava or other libs and some other details)}

If You Can, Use Guava

It's worth pointing out the Guava way, which greatly simplifies these shenanigans:

Usage

For an Immutable List

Use the ImmutableList class and its of() and copyOf() factory methods ^{(elements can't be null)}:

List<String> il = ImmutableList.of("string", "elements");  // from varargs
List<String> il = ImmutableList.copyOf(aStringArray);      // from array

For A Mutable List

Use the Lists class and its newArrayList() factory methods:

List<String> l1 = Lists.newArrayList(anotherListOrCollection);    // from collection
List<String> l2 = Lists.newArrayList(aStringArray);               // from array
List<String> l3 = Lists.newArrayList("or", "string", "elements"); // from varargs

Please also note the similar methods for other data structures in other classes, for instance in Sets.

Why Guava?

The main attraction could be to reduce the clutter due to generics for type-safety, as the use of the Guava factory methods allow the types to be inferred most of the time. However, this argument holds less water since Java 7 arrived with the new diamond operator.

But it's not the only reason (and Java 7 isn't everywhere yet): the shorthand syntax is also very handy, and the methods initializers, as seen above, allow to write more expressive code. You do in one Guava call what takes 2 with the current Java Collections.

If You Can't...

For an Immutable List

Use the JDK's Arrays class and its asList() factory method, wrapped with a Collections.unmodifiableList():

List<String> l1 = Collections.unmodifiableList(Arrays.asList(anArrayOfElements));
List<String> l2 = Collections.unmodifiableList(Arrays.asList("element1", "element2"));

Note that the returned type for asList() is a List using a concrete ArrayList implementation, but it is NOT java.util.ArrayList. It's an inner type, which emulates an ArrayList but actually directly references the passed array and makes it "write through" (modifications are reflected in the array).

It forbids modifications through some of the List API's methods by way of simply extending an AbstractList (so, adding or removing elements is unsupported), however it allows calls to set() to override elements. Thus this list isn't truly immutable and a call to asList() should be wrapped with Collections.unmodifiableList().

See the next step if you need a mutable list.

For a Mutable List

Same as above, but wrapped with an actual java.util.ArrayList:

List<String> l1  = new ArrayList<String>(Arrays.asList(array));    // Java 1.5 to 1.6
List<String> l1b = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(array));          // Java 1.7+
List<String> l2  = new ArrayList<String>(Arrays.asList("a", "b")); // Java 1.5 to 1.6
List<String> l2b = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList("a", "b"));       // Java 1.7+

For Educational Purposes: The Good ol' Manual Way

// for Java 1.5+
static <T> List<T> arrayToList(final T[] array) {
  final List<T> l = new ArrayList<T>(array.length);

  for (final T s : array) {
    l.add(s);
  }
  return (l);
}

// for Java < 1.5 (no generics, no compile-time type-safety, boo!)
static List arrayToList(final Object[] array) {
  final List l = new ArrayList(array.length);

  for (int i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
    l.add(array[i]);
  }
  return (l);
}

Since this question is pretty old, it surprises me that nobody suggested the simplest form yet:

List<Element> arraylist = Arrays.asList(new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3));

As of Java 5, Arrays.asList() takes a varargs parameter and you don't have to construct the array explicitly.

new ArrayList<T>(Arrays.asList(myArray));

Make sure that myArray is the same type as T. You'll get a compiler error if you try to create a List<Integer> from an array of int, for example.

Another way (although essentially equivalent to the new ArrayList(Arrays.asList(array)) solution performance-wise:

Collections.addAll(arraylist, array);

You probably just need a List, not an ArrayList. In that case you can just do:

List<Element> arraylist = Arrays.asList(array);

Another update, almost ending year 2014, you can do it with Java 8 too:

ArrayList<Element> arrayList = Stream.of(myArray).collect(Collectors.toCollection(ArrayList::new));

A few characters would be saved, if this could be just a List

List<Element> list = Stream.of(myArray).collect(Collectors.toList());

To convert an array to an ArrayList, developers often do this:

List<String> list = Arrays.asList(arr);// this is wrong way..

Arrays.asList() will return an ArrayList which is a private static class inside Arrays, it is not the java.util.ArrayList class. The java.util.Arrays.ArrayList class has set(), get(), contains() methods, but does not have any methods for adding elements, so its size is fixed. To create a real ArrayList, you must do:

ArrayList<String> arrayList = new ArrayList<String>(Arrays.asList(arr));

The constructor of ArrayList can accept a Collection type, which is also a super type for java.util.Arrays.ArrayList

Java 9

In Java 9, you can use List.of static factory method in order to create a List literal. Something like the following:

List<Element> elements = List.of(new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3));

This would return an immutable list containing three elements. If you want a mutable list, pass that list to the ArrayList constructor:

new ArrayList<>(List.of(// elements vararg))

JEP 269: Convenience Factory Methods for Collections

JEP 269 provides some convenience factory methods for Collections API. This factory methods are not in current Java version, which is 8, but are planned for Java 9 release. You can try out this feature using JDK 9 Early Access.

If you use :

new ArrayList<T>(Arrays.asList(myArray));

you may create and fill two lists ! Filling twice a big list is exactly what you don't want to do because it will create another Object[] array each time the capacity needs to be extended.

Fortunately the JDK implementation is fast and Arrays.asList(a[]) is very well done. It create a kind of ArrayList named Arrays.ArrayList where the Object[] data points directly to the array.

// in Arrays
@SafeVarargs
public static <T> List<T> asList(T... a) {
    return new ArrayList<>(a);
}
//still in Arrays, creating a private unseen class
private static class ArrayList<E>

    private final E[] a;    
    ArrayList(E[] array) {
        a = array; // you point to the previous array
    }
    ....
}

The dangerous side is that if you change the initial array, you change the List ! Are you sure you want that ? Maybe yes, maybe not.

If not, the most understandable way is to do this :

ArrayList<Element> list = new ArrayList<Element>(myArray.length); // you know the initial capacity
for (Element element : myArray) {
    list.add(element);
}

Or as said @glglgl, you can create another independant ArrayList with :

new ArrayList<T>(Arrays.asList(myArray));

I love to use Collections, Arrays, or Guava. But if it don't fit, or you don't feel it, just write another inelegant line instead.

According with the question the answer using java 1.7 is:

ArrayList<Element> arraylist = new ArrayList<Element>(Arrays.<Element>asList(array));

However it's better always use the interface:

List<Element> arraylist = Arrays.<Element>asList(array);

// Guava
import com.google.common.collect.ListsLists
...
List<String> list = Lists.newArrayList(aStringArray); 

You can convert using different methods

1. List<Element> list = Arrays.asList(array);

2. List<Element> list = new ArrayList();
Collections.addAll(list, array);

3. Arraylist list = new Arraylist();
list.addAll(Arrays.asList(array));

For more detail you can refer to http://javarevisited.blogspot.in/2011/06/converting-array-to-arraylist-in-java.html

You also can do it with stream in Java 8.

 List<Element> elements = Arrays.stream(array).collect(Collectors.toList()); 

Another simple way is to add all elements from the array to a new ArrayList using a for-each loop.

ArrayList<Element> list = new ArrayList<>();

for(Element e : array)
    list.add(e);

1. If we see the definition of Arrays.asList() method you will get something like this:

    public static <T> List<T> asList(T... a) //varargs are of T type. 
   

   So, you might initialize arraylist like this:

    List<Element> arraylist = Arrays.asList(new Element(1),new Element(2),new Element(3));
   

   Note : each new Element(int args) will be treated as Individual Object and can be passed as a var-args.

2. There might be another answer for this question too.
   If you see declaration for java.util.Collections.addAll() method you will get something like this:

   public static <T> boolean addAll(Collection<? super T> c, T... a);
   

   So, this code is also useful to do so

   Collections.addAll(arraylist, array);
   

Since Java 8 there is easier way to transform:

public static <T> List<T> get(T[] array) {
    return Arrays.stream(array).collect(toList());
}

and the common newest way to create array is observableArrays

thus the answer is

FXCollections.observableArrayList(new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3));

that is according to Oracle Docs

observableArrayList() Creates a new empty observable list that is backed by an arraylist. observableArrayList(E... items) Creates a new observable array list with items added to it.

Arrays.asList(yourArray) method is used to convert your array into arrayList

new ArrayList<Element>(Arrays.asList(array));

Even though there are many perfectly written answers to this question, I will add my inputs.

Say you have Element[] array = { new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3) };

New ArrayList can be created in the following ways

ArrayList<Element> arraylist_1 = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(array));
ArrayList<Element> arraylist_2 = new ArrayList<>(
    Arrays.asList(new Element[] { new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3) }));

// Add through a collection
ArrayList<Element> arraylist_3 = new ArrayList<>();
Collections.addAll(arraylist_3, array);

And they very well support all operations of ArrayList

arraylist_1.add(new Element(4)); // or remove(): Success
arraylist_2.add(new Element(4)); // or remove(): Success
arraylist_3.add(new Element(4)); // or remove(): Success

But the following operations returns just a List view of an ArrayList and not actual ArrayList.

// Returns a List view of array and not actual ArrayList
List<Element> listView_1 = (List<Element>) Arrays.asList(array);
List<Element> listView_2 = Arrays.asList(array);
List<Element> listView_3 = Arrays.asList(new Element(1), new Element(2), new Element(3));

Therefore, they will give error when trying to make some ArrayList operations

listView_1.add(new Element(4)); // Error
listView_2.add(new Element(4)); // Error
listView_3.add(new Element(4)); // Error

More on List representation of array link.