Learn about Basic Data Structure
What is a data structure?
When developers first hear about data structures and algorithms (DSA), they often feel intimidated and assume it is overly complex. However, there is no need to be intimidated. Simply put, a data structure is a specific way of organizing and storing data in an application’s memory.
Applications handle many different types of information — such as user lists, product categories, product details, payment information, and checkout items. Organizing this information efficiently is what we call using a data structure. Each data structure has different traits and strengths. We choose one based on our specific needs and complexity requirements, such as how we want to store, find, search, or delete data.
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Types of data structures
One of the most commonly used data structures in development is the Array. Aside from arrays, there are many other important data structures, including:
- Linked Lists
- Stacks
- Queues
- Binary Trees & Binary Search Trees
- Graphs
- Maps & Hash Tables
- Heaps
