Data Structure in C++

Data structure

The computer system is used essentially as Data Management System where ‘data’ are very important thing for it.

A data structure is a named group of data of different types which can be processed as a single unit. A data structure has a well-defined operations, behavior and properties.

Primitive and non-primitive data types

The standard or fundamental data type is called primitive data type. Ex. int, float, char.

The data types which are composed of primitive data types or defined by used are called non-primitive data type.

Ex.  array, structure, class, enumeration, union etc. 

Different Data Structures

Simple data structure

These data structures are normally built from primitive data types.

Compound data structure

Simple data structure when combined is called compound data structure. It is complex data structure.

Linear and non-linear data structure

A single level data structure is called linear data structure.

Multi-level data structure is called non-linear data structure.

Note- stack, queue and linked list use pointer data type.

Stack

Stack is list accessed and stored in a LIFO (last in first out) technique. In stack, insertion and deletion take place only at one end, called the top.

For eg. Stack of plates.

 

Queue

Queue is a FIFO (first in first out) list, where insertion and deletion take place at the first end of queue.

For eg. Line of people.

Trees

Trees are multilevel data structure having a hierarchical relationship among its elements called “nodes”. Top most node is called root and bottom most node called leaves.

                Each node has some pointers pointing to the nodes before it.

Note- A binary tree is a special type of tree, where each node has two pointer left and right.

This post is about Data Structure  in C++. In the next post we will discuss the topic Array .