Data Structures -An Introduction with Basic Examples

-

 Let’s consider a social media application. You create an account with your basic details and receive many follow requests, which you accept. Your follower’s list is then organized like a data structure.

Data structures are used to store and manage data in an organized and efficient way.

Everyday Examples: Think of a bookshelf, a wardrobe, or a parking area in a mall—each one organizes different types of items systematically.

Definition:

A data structure is a way of organizing, processing, and retrieving data effectively.

How are data structures classified?

They are broadly categorized into two types:

1. Linear Data Structures

Here, data is stored sequentially and accessed one by one.

  • Array: A basic linear data structure where elements are stored in contiguous memory locations.
  • Linked List: Composed of nodes that are connected using pointers or links.
  • Stack: Follows the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) principle.
  • Queue: Follows the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) principle—like people standing in a queue.

2. Non-linear Data Structures

The data isn’t stored sequentially; instead, it forms hierarchical or interconnected structures.

  • Tree: Has a root node and child nodes, representing a parent-child relationship.
  • Graph: Consists of nodes (vertices) connected by edges, useful for modeling networks.

Why are data structures important?

They are the backbone of data organization. Proper use of data structures ensures that data can be stored, accessed, and manipulated efficiently.

Real-life Examples of Data Structures:

  • Bank transactions: Utilize stacks and queues to manage operations.
  • Travel apps: Rely on graph structures for route optimization.
  • Social media apps: Often use tree structures to represent follower hierarchies.

Hope ,this introduction will help you to understand Data structures.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to create a XML DTD for displaying student details

-
Image
XML  is    e X tensible M arkup L anguage which is used to create used defined tags.  It has Elements  ( <STUDENT>) Attributes (<STUDENT id="21it21">) To create a XML file, create three files 1 ->  XML file (used to declare the user defined tags) 2 ->  DTD file (used to define the user defined tags) 3 ->  HTML file(used to display the xml file as web page) create these three files using any editor like notepad.  Student.Xml <?xml version="1.0"?> <!DOCTYPE STUDENTS SYSTEM "E:\XML1\STUDENT.dtd"> <STUDENTS>  <STUDENT>  <STUDENTDATA>     <NAME> SUTHA </NAME>     <ID>  2007IT51 </ID>     <AGE> 20 </AGE>     <ADDRESS> 12, SATHY ROAD , GOBI </ADDRESS>   </STUDENTDATA> </STUDENT> </STUDENTS> Student.dtd <?xml version="1.0"?> <!ELEMENT STU...
Read more

How to write your first XML program?

-
XML is Extensible Markup Language. It is used to create user defined tags. This is derived from SGML(Standard Generalized Markup Language). Do you like to create your own tags?? If the answer is yes, you try XML. A simple XML code is given below. It is a simple birthday message for your beloved one. < Birthday>   <Wishes>  Happy birthday  </Wishes> </Birthday>     Here, the root tag is <Birthday>. <Wishes>   is the user defined tag. This basic xml program shows you to create a root tag with elements. To create a basic program, follow the below syntax. Syntax: < ?xml version=”1.0”?> <root tag>   <element1>   </element1>                     .                     .   <elem...
Read more

Java NIO examples to illustrate channels and buffers.

-
     As the earlier blog gives you a basic knowledge about java NIO. Here, is the some examples to understand the concept of channels and buffers. Channel is a foundational construction. It helps you to connect the input, output, hardware devices, files and sockets. Buffer: it is a storage place where we can store the temporary data. Let us create a channel for processing file reading and writing operations. Make it connected with a buffer. File Reading Example using java NIO: ·        It includes the built in packages. ·        A public class is created with main() function. ·        Three objects are created. FileInputStream,FileChannel and ByteBuffer. ·        Data is read through the channel and gets stored in buffer. ·        Until the buffer has data, it reads the data and display it in the output screen · ...
Read more