Introduction to data structure

Introduction to data structure:

• Data can be organized in many different ways in the memory. 
• Data Structure can be defined as the group of data elements. 
• A data structure is a particular way of organizing data in a computer. 
• A data structure is a specialized format for organizing and storing data. 
• Storing and Organized data can be used effectively and easy to use. 
• Logical or mathematical model of a particular data organization is called data structure 
• General data structure types include the array, the file, the record, the table, the tree, and so on 
• Directly or Indirectly, we used data structure for daily uses 
• Example: Student Attendance Sheet, shoe rack, Queue at UID center 
• It is used to reduce the space and time complexities. 
• Example: Arrays, Linked List, Stack, Queue


• Need of Data Structures: 
• Using data structure we can increase the processor speed for large amount of data. 
• For Example Non-Linear data structure 
• Efficiency of a program increase using data structures. 
• An arranged data - can easily search within time. 
• For Example Sorting & Searching algorithms 
• Data structures are reusable. We can use the created model at any place to managed data. 
• Data structure is specified by the Abstract Data Type which provides a level of abstraction. User does not know about interface, only. 
• Applications: 
• Data Structures are widely used in Computer Science & Applications i.e. Operating System, Compiler Design, Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, Graphics

Classification of Data Structure:

• Data Structure can be classified into the following categories.
• According to these categories we can access or manage data.
• There are various ways to classify data structure.

Type 1:

• The data structure that are atomic (indivisible) are called primitive.
• Examples are integer, real and characters.
• The Data structures that are not atomic are called non-primitive or composite.
• Examples are records, array, and string.

Type 2:

• In a linear data structure, the data items are arranged in a linear sequence.
• For Example array.
• In a non-linear data structure, the data items that are not in sequence.
• For Example trees and graphs.

Type 3:

• In an Inhomogeneous data structure, all the elements are of the same type.
• For Example arrays.
• In a non-homogeneous data structure, the elements may or may not be of the same type.
• For Example Records.

Type 4:

• Static data structures are those whose size and structures, associated location is fixed at compile time.
• Dynamic structures are ones whose ones which expand or shrink as required during the program execution.