Data structures are not merely collections of variables; they are the physical manifestation of mathematical logic in memory.
Understanding the memory layout, access patterns, and fundamental constraints of data organization is the first step toward high-performance engineering. From the humble array to the complex segment tree, every structure represents a strategic trade-off.
What We'll Explore
- Sequential Access: Arrays, Linked Lists, and the power of locality.
- Hierarchical Logic: Trees, Heaps, and logarithmic efficiency.
- Associative Mapping: Hash tables and the O(1) dream.
- Advanced Topology: Graphs, Disjoint Sets, and complex relationships.