Classification of Data Structures

Classification of Data Structures

 

Data structures are classified into Two  types:

Logical data structures:

Data structures are very important in computer systems. In  a program every variable is of some explicitly or implicitly defined data structure, which determines the set operations that are legal upon that variable and set of values that are legal to it. There may be several physical representations on storage is possible for each logical structure

Primitive & Simple data structures

Integer, character, float, double are called primitive data structures because they are not composed of other data structures. Data structures which are constructed from one or more primitives are called simple data structures.

Example: Strings, Arrays, Pointers, structures etc.

Linear and Non-Linear Data Structures:

Simple data structures can be combined in various ways to form more complex structures. The two fundamentals kinds of more complex structures are linear and non-linear depending on the complexity of the logical relationship they represents

Linear Data structures: A data structure is said to be linear if the linear relationship between the elements represented by means of sequential memory location.

Example: Stack, Queues and linear linked lists.

Non-Linear Data Structures: A data structure is said to be non-linear if the linear between the elements represented by means of pointers or link

Example: Trees, Graphs