What Is Data Structure?
A data structure is a specialized format for organizing, processing, storing,
and retrieving data. It defines the relationship between data elements and the
operations that can be performed on them
They play a critical role in various applications, from databases and operating systems
to artificial intelligence and machine learning
Key Features Of Data Structures
Here are the key features of data structures:
1. Data Storage: Data structures provide a way to store data in an organized
manner, making it easier to manage and access the data efficiently.
2. Data Organization: They organize data in a structured format, such as linear
(arrays, linked lists) or non-linear (trees, graphs), facilitating easier data
manipulation.
3. Data Processing: They enable efficient data manipulation, including operations
like insertion, deletion, and traversal, which are optimized for performance based
on the data structure used.
4. Memory Management: They manage memory usage effectively, with some data
structures like linked lists and trees dynamically allocating memory as needed.
5. Homogeneous Data: Many data structures store homogeneous data elements,
meaning all elements are of the same type, ensuring consistency and
predictability.
6. Indexing: Certain data structures, such as arrays, allow for efficient indexing,
providing direct access to elements based on their index positions.
7. Sequential Access: Linear data structures like arrays and linked lists allow for
sequential access to elements, facilitating ordered data processing.
8. Dynamic Size: Some data structures, like linked lists and dynamic arrays, can
adjust their size dynamically to accommodate varying amounts of data.
9. Hierarchy Representation: Non-linear data structures, such as trees and
graphs, represent hierarchical relationships between elements, useful for
modeling complex systems.
10. Support for Multiple Operations: Data structures support a variety of
operations, including searching, sorting, merging, and splitting, making them
versatile tools for data manipulation.
11. Ease of Implementation: Many data structures are supported by standard
libraries in programming languages, providing easy-to-use implementations for
common data structures
Characteristics of Data Structures
Data Structure is the systematic way used to organise the data. The
characteristics of Data Structures are:
Linear or Non-Linear
This characteristic arranges the data in sequential order, such as arrays,
graphs etc.
Static and Dynamic
Static data structures have fixed formats and sizes along with memory
locations. The static characteristic shows the compilation of the data.
Time Complexity
The time factor should be very punctual. The running time or the execution
time of a program should be limited. The running time should be as less as
possible. The less the running time, the more accurate the device is.
Correctness
Each data must definitely have an interface. Interface depicts the set of data
structures. Data Structure should be implemented accurately in the
interface.
Space Complexity
The Space in the device should be managed carefully. The memory usage
should be used properly. The space should be less occupied, which indicates
the proper function of the device.
Types of Data Structures
Array.
Arrays are collections of data items that are of the same type, stored
together in adjoining memory locations. Each data item is known as an
“element.”
Linked List.
Linked lists store item collections in a linear order. Each element in a linked
list contains a data item and a link, or reference, to the subsequent item on
the same list.
Stack.
Stacks store collections of items in a linear order and are used when
applying the operations. For example, the order could be “first in, first out”
(FIFO) or “last in, first out” (LIFO).
Queue.
Queues store item collections sequentially like stacks, but the operation
order must be “first in, first out” only. Queues are linear lists.
Tree.
Trees store item collections in an abstract hierarchy. They are multilevel
data structures that use nodes. The bottom nodes are called “leaf nodes,”
while the topmost node is known as the “root node.” Each node has pointers
that point to adjacent nodes.
Trie.
Not to be confused with a Tree, Tries are data structures that store strings
like data items and are placed in a visual graph
Graphs.
Graphs are a nonlinear pictorial representation of element sets. Graphs
consist of finite node sets, also called vertices, connected by links,
alternately called edges. Trees, mentioned below, are a graph variation,
except the latter has no rules governing how the nodes connect.
Hash Tables.
Hash tables, also called hash maps, can be used as either a linear or
nonlinear data structure, though they favor the former. This structure is
normally built using arrays. Hash tables map keys to values.
