Arrays
An array is like a box that can hold many different things. You can put toys, books, or anything else you want in it.
The things inside the box are arranged in order, so you can easily find them when you need them. You can use numbers to label each thing, so you know which one you want to get.
For example, if you have a box of toys, you can use numbers to label each toy. The first toy might be number 1, the second toy might be number 2, and so on. Then, when you want to play with a specific toy, you can tell someone the number and they can help you find it easily.
In the same way, when we use arrays in computer programs, we can store lots of pieces of data (like numbers, letters, or other information) in a specific order and label each piece of data with a number. This makes it easy for the computer to find and use the data when it needs to.
Linked Lists
Imagine you have a group of friends holding hands, and you want to line them up in a specific order. With a linked list, you can do just that! Each friend holds hands with the friend next to them, forming a chain. Then, you can tell each friend who to hold hands with next, and they can follow your instructions to create the line you want.
In a computer program, a linked list is similar to this chain of friends holding hands. It is a way to store a bunch of pieces of information (like numbers, names, or other data) in a specific order. Each piece of data is called a "node" and it has a link to the next node in the list. This link is like the hand-holding between friends.
So, just like with the friends, we can tell each node in the linked list which node to link to next, creating a specific order for the data. This makes it easy for the computer to find and use the data in the order we want.
Bit arrays
Imagine you have a bunch of toys, like Legos or blocks, and you want to keep track of which ones you have and which ones you don't. You could make a list of all the toys you have, but that might take a long time if you have a lot of them.
In computer programming, a bit array is a way of keeping track of a lot of items in a very efficient way. It works by using binary numbers, which are made up of 0s and 1s. Each item is represented by a single bit in the binary number, where a 0 means you don't have the item and a 1 means you do.
For example, let's say you have 8 different toys. You could use a bit array with 8 bits to represent which toys you have. If you have the first, third, and fifth toys, you could represent that with the binary number 00101001. This means the first, third, and fifth bits are 1, while the rest are 0.
To check if you have a specific toy, you can just look at the corresponding bit in the binary number. If the bit is 1, you have the toy, and if it's 0, you don't.
Bit arrays are useful in computer programming because they allow us to store a lot of information in a very compact way. They are often used for things like storing flags or keeping track of which elements in a list have been visited.
Overall, a bit array is a powerful tool for efficiently keeping track of a lot of items using binary numbers, just like how you can keep track of your toys using a list of 0s and 1s.
Matrices
Have you ever played a game of tic-tac-toe or connect four? Those are games where you try to get three or four in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
In computer programming, a matrix is kind of like a big tic-tac-toe board, but instead of X's and O's, it's filled with numbers or other types of data. A matrix has rows and columns, just like a tic-tac-toe board has rows and columns.
For example, imagine you have a matrix with three rows and three columns, and it's filled with numbers:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
Each number has a specific position in the matrix, determined by its row and column. So the number "1" is in the first row and first column, while the number "6" is in the second row and third column.
Matrices are useful in computer programming for tasks like performing mathematical operations on large sets of numbers or other types of data. Just like in tic-tac-toe or connect four, you can use the rows and columns to organize the data and perform operations on specific groups of data.
Overall, a matrix is like a big tic-tac-toe board filled with numbers or other types of data. It's a useful tool for organizing and performing operations on large sets of data in a structured way.
Vectors
Imagine you have a bunch of toys, like Legos or blocks, and you want to keep them all in a big container. You could just throw them in haphazardly, but that might make it hard to find the toy you're looking for. Instead, you could organize them in rows and columns, so that each toy has a specific place in the container.
In computer programming, a vector is like a container for a bunch of values, but instead of just throwing them in haphazardly, they are organized in a specific order. Each value has a specific position in the vector, just like each toy has a specific place in the container.
For example, let's say you have a bunch of numbers: 5, 3, 9, 2, and 8. You could put them in a vector in order like this:
[5, 3, 9, 2, 8]
Now each number has a specific position in the vector. You can access a specific number by referring to its position in the vector, just like you can find a specific toy by looking in its specific place in the container.
Vectors are useful in computer programming for tasks like storing a bunch of values that need to be accessed in a specific order, or for performing mathematical operations on a bunch of values at once.
Overall, a vector is like an organized container for a bunch of values, with each value having a specific position in the vector. It's a useful tool for organizing and accessing a bunch of values in an efficient way.
Skip lists
Imagine you are trying to find a specific book in a library with lots of shelves full of books. It could take a long time to go through each shelf one by one to find the book you want. One way to speed up the search is to use signs that tell you which shelves to skip, based on the title of the book you're looking for.
In computer programming, a skip list is a data structure that works kind of like those signs in the library. It's like a list of items, where each item has a pointer to the next item in the list. But in a skip list, some items also have pointers to items further down the list, so you can "skip" over some of the items that aren't relevant to what you're looking for.
For example, imagine you have a list of numbers in a skip list:
1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 -> 5 -> 6 -> 7 -> 8
The numbers are in order, but some of the items have extra pointers that let you skip over some of the items. For example, the "2" item has a pointer to the "4" item, so if you're looking for a number greater than 2, you can skip over the "3" item and go straight to the "4" item.
Skip lists are useful in computer programming for tasks like searching through a large list of items. By skipping over some of the irrelevant items, you can save time and speed up the search.
Overall, a skip list is like a list of items with extra pointers that let you skip over some of the items you don't need. It's a useful tool for searching through a large list of items in an efficient way.
We will discuss a lot more data structure in the coming blog, follow and stay tuned and receive emails for updates :)
To get a gist of algorithms can refer
Explain Data Structure to a Child - Part 1
Mastering Algorithms: Essential Questions to Understand the Gist of Each One - Part 1
There are a couple of books written that can help you more. Refer to Best Books for Data Structures and Algorithms 2023