Data Structures form the backbone of efficient programming. Three foundational structures — Singly/Doubly Linked Lists, Stack (LIFO), and Queue (FIFO) — are crucial to understand for anyone delving into Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA).
Singly Linked Lists enable sequential storage, where each node points to the next, making insertions and deletions efficient but limiting direct access. Doubly Linked Lists expand on this by allowing bi-directional traversal — each node links to both the next and previous nodes, helpful in applications like browser navigation and caching.
A Stack implements a Last-In, First-Out model. Think of undo features or call stacks in programming: the last action is the first to be reversed. Core operations are push (insert) and pop (remove).
In contrast, a Queue follows First-In, First-Out. It’s perfect for scenarios like print queues or customer support systems — elements are processed in the order they arrive with enqueue (add) and dequeue (remove) as fundamental operations.
Each data structure has unique trade-offs in memory usage, access patterns, and application areas. Mastering them lays a strong foundation for tackling more complex DSA challenges.
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