Data structures are essential for organizing and managing data effectively in software development. Here's a quick overview of fundamental concepts and common types:
📌 Core Concepts
- Arrays: A collection of elements stored in contiguous memory locations.
- Linked Lists: Nodes connected sequentially, allowing dynamic memory allocation.
- Trees: Hierarchical structures with nodes connected by edges (e.g., binary trees, AVL trees).
- Graphs: Nodes (vertices) linked by edges, representing complex relationships.
🧠 Applications
- Stacks & Queues: Used in algorithms like DFS, BFS, and task scheduling.
- Hash Tables: Enable fast data retrieval through key-value mappings.
- Heaps: Critical for priority queues and efficient sorting algorithms (e.g., Heap Sort).
For deeper exploration, check out our guide on Algorithms and how they interact with data structures. Happy learning! 🚀