Types of Data Structures

A Comprehensive guide to different types of Data Structures in Computer Science.

Data structures are ways to organize and store data in a computer so that it can be accessed and modified efficiently. Here are some common types of data structures:

Arrays

Definition: A collection of elements identified by index or key.
Use Cases: Storing a fixed-size sequential collection of elements.

Linked Lists

Definition: A linear collection of data elements, where each element points to the next.
Use Cases: Dynamic memory allocation and efficient insertions/deletions.

Stacks

Definition: A collection of elements that follows the Last In First Out (LIFO) principle.
Use Cases: Function call management, undo mechanisms in applications.

Queues

Definition: A collection of elements that follows the First In First Out (FIFO) principle.
Use Cases: Task scheduling, handling requests in a server.

Trees

Definition: A hierarchical structure consisting of nodes, with a single node as the root.
Use Cases: Representing hierarchical data, such as file systems.

Graphs

Definition: A collection of nodes connected by edges.
Use Cases: Representing networks, social connections, and more.

Understanding these data structures is crucial for efficient programming and algorithm design.