A data structure is a way of organizing and storing data in a computer so that it can be accessed and used efficiently. There are many types of data structures, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, depending on the specific use case.
Some common types of data structures include:
Arrays: A data structure that stores a fixed-size sequential collection of elements of the same type.
Linked lists: A data structure that consists of a sequence of nodes, where each node contains a reference to the next node in the sequence.
Trees: A hierarchical data structure that consists of nodes connected by edges, where each node has a parent and zero or more children.
Hash tables: A data structure that uses a hash function to map keys to values, allowing for efficient retrieval and storage of data.
Stacks and queues: Data structures that store collections of elements in a last-in-first-out (LIFO) or first-in-first-out (FIFO) order, respectively.
There are many operations that can be performed on data structures, depending on the specific type of structure. Some common operations include:
Insertion: Adding a new element to the data structure.
Deletion: Removing an element from the data structure.
Searching: Looking for a specific element in the data structure.
Traversal: Visiting each element in the data structure in a specific order.
Sorting: Rearranging the elements of the data structure into a specific order.
Merging: Combining two or more data structures into a single structure.
Splitting: Dividing a data structure into two or more smaller structures.
Each data structure has its own set of operations that can be performed on it, and some operations may be more efficient or less efficient depending on the type of structure and the specific implementation.