Data Structure in C
A data structure is a way to store and organize data in a computer so that it can be used efficiently.
A data structure is a logical model of a particular organization of data.
We talk about data structure as:
- Mathematical / Logical Model or Abstract Data Types
- Implementation
Abstract Data Type
It defines data and operations but has no implementation.
The various data structures are divided into the following categories:
- Linear Data Structure
- Non-Linear Data Structure
Linear Data Structure
A data structure whose elements are in the form of sequence and every element in the structure has a unique predecessor (pre-existing) and unique successor (inheritor).
Example – Linked List, Arrays, Stacks, and Queues
Non-Linear Data Structure
A data structure whose elements are not in the form of sequence and there is no unique predecessor (pre-existing) and unique successor (inheritor).
Example – Trees and Graphs
Classification of Data Structure
- Primitive Data Structure
- Non-Primitive Data Structure
Primitive Data Structure
The primitive data structure is the data structure that is already defined in the C language. They can be used to store only a single value and have a fixed size that can’t be increased or decreased. They allocate memory in the main memory before execution.
Examples in C Language: int, char, float, double, etc.
Non-Primitive Data Structure
The non-primitive data structures in C are also known as the derived data structure. Because the non-primitive data structures are derived from the primitive data structures. The data stored in the non-primitive data structures can be manipulated using operations like insertion, deletion, searching, sorting, etc.
Examples in C Language: array, linked-list, queue, stack, tree, graph, etc.
