Data Structures
Introduction to Data Structures
- Data structures are a way of storing and organising data in a computer so that it can be used efficiently.
- They are fundamental to creating efficient and elegant software applications.
Types of Data Structures
Arrays
- An array is a data structure that holds a fixed number of values of a single type.
- It is referred to by a common name, and its value can be accessed by their indices.
- For example, if array = [1,2,3,4,5], array[2] would give the value 3.
Records
- A record (also known as a structure) is a collection of labelled fields.
- Each field holds a value, and all values within the record make up one entity.
- For example, a student record might contain individual fields for name, age, and grade.
Lists
- A list is a collection of items where each item holds a relative position with respect to the others.
- Lists can grow and shrink dynamically as needed at runtime.
- Unlike arrays, lists can hold different types of data.
Stacks
- A stack operates on the principle of ‘Last In, First Out’ (LIFO).
- This means the last element added to the stack will be the first one to be removed.
Queues
- A queue operates on the principle of ‘First In, First Out’ (FIFO).
- This means the first element added to the queue will be the first one to be removed.
Functions of Data Structures
Insertion
- Insertion is the process of adding an element into the data structure at any random position.
Deletion
- Deletion refers to the operation of removing an element from a data structure.
Traversing
- Traversing is the operation of accessing each element of a data structure once to perform some operation.
Searching
- Searching is the operation of finding the location of an element in a data structure.
Sorting
- Sorting is the process of arranging the elements in a data structure in a certain order.
Remember, understanding how these different data structures work, their benefits, limitations and where to best apply them is key to effective programming and system development.