Data Structure and algorithms
What are data they?
Algorithms and Data Structures are two closely related concepts. An algorithm is, basically, a group of commands that work step by step, to solve a specific problem. And data structures are different ways of storing and organizing data in a system. It is essential to know those structures and understand how they work, because it most often allow for better algorithms.
There are several data structures used in programming. Here we are going to talk about four of then, lists, trees, graphs, hash tables and their variations which are widely used in application implementation [1]. Here are some examples:
- Lists: Processes run on an operating system (Queue); function calls in a code interpreter (Stack);
- Trees: Search applications with constant data entry (Binary Trees);
- Graphs: Social networks; connection suggestion algorithms;
- Hash Tables: Databases; implementation of compilers.
Which structure to choose? The answer depends on the application. Learning data structures and algorithms allow us to write more efficient and optimized computer programs. Here we are going to talk about the main core concepts. I’ll explain it in detail and with a hands-on-approach, where I’ll be implementing each structure, so we can better understand how they work.
References
[1] LUCAS, D. (2020) Estruturas de Dados – O que são? Para que servem?. COD3R. Available at: https://blog.cod3r.com.br/estruturas-de-dados/. Accessed: December 15, 2021.