Intro to Data Structures
Data structures are ways to organize and structure data in memory, so it can be optimized for storage and retrieval.
In real-world scenarios, we use stacks to arrange books on a table or in a library. The last item added is the first one removed (LIFO: Last In, First Out). Similarly, queues work like a line where the first person in is the first served (FIFO: First In, First Out). Though unnoticed, data structures are all around us.
Importance of Data Structures
Data structures optimize performance by improving data retrieval and manipulation. They are essential for sorting (e.g., bubble sort), searching (e.g., binary search), databases, AI, networking, and more.
Examples of Data Structures
Examples include arrays (a collection of data in continuous memory), linked lists (non-continuous memory with dynamic sizes), trees (hierarchical structures), graphs, hash tables, and more. These will be explored in detail in future tutorials.
Types of Data Structures
Data structures are categorized as linear (fixed size, e.g., arrays) or non-linear (dynamic size, e.g., linked lists).
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