Close

Data structure

[Last Updated: Dec 8, 2016]

Software Engineering Programming Java Collections 

A data structure is a specialized form of organizing the data.

Data structures can implement one or more particular abstract data type (ADT)

A data structure is a concrete implementation of the specification provided by an ADT.



Examples:

  • Array: elements of arrays are referenced via an index number.
  • Linked data structure: are based on storing addresses of subsequent data items within a given item itself.
  • Association arrays: Implementation of Map/Associative Array/Dictionary which maintains key-value pairs using linked data structure.
  • Hash table or hash map: like Association Array but uses a hash function to compute an index into an array of buckets or slots, from which the desired value can be found.
  • Record: a collection of fields possibly of different data types.
  • Class: contains data fields, like a record, as well as various methods which operate on the contents of the record.


See Also