---
title: "Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms"
lastModified: "2026-10-07T11:38:29+05:30"
---

## What are Data Structures?
- An arrangement of data in a computer's memory or sometimes on a disk
- Examples include arrays, linked lists, stacks, binary trees, and hash tables
- Allow efficient organization and manipulation of data

## What are Algorithms?
- Step-by-step procedures to solve problems
- Manipulate data in structures in various ways (searching, sorting, etc.)
- Different from pseudocode - algorithms are abstract concepts, pseudocode is their representation

## Properties of Data Structures
- Organization method
- Access patterns
- Memory usage
- Performance characteristics

## Characteristics of Algorithms
- **Input**: Zero or more inputs
- **Output**: At least one output
- **Definiteness**: Clear and unambiguous steps
- **Finiteness**: Must terminate after finite steps
- **Effectiveness**: Each step must be basic and feasible

## What Problems Can Be Solved?
- **Real-world data storage**: Databases, file systems
- **Programmer's tools**: Stacks for function calls, queues for task scheduling
- **Real-world modeling**: Graphs for networks, trees for hierarchies

## Module Learning Outcomes
- Describe concepts of data structures and algorithms
- Utilize them in programming problem-solving
- Create and implement various structures and algorithms
- Compare efficiency and choose appropriate solutions