(2) discussion – data structures

 Respond to this discussion below about data structures and their roles in programming with at least 150 words or more

Unlike algorithms that pertain to real life scenarios outside of  computer science, data structures are particularly synonymous with  programming and software development. The term “data structure” is  almost self defining. Examples of data structures include arrays, lists,  stack, queue. All examples include different ways that data is arranged  and manipulated. Data structures are integral to developing complex  programs. “Data Structures are widely used in almost every aspect of  Computer Science i.e. Operating System, Compiler Design, Artificial  intelligence, Graphics and many more” (“Data Structure”, n.d.,).  Algorithms utilize different data structures to carry out a task with  the added benefit of reusability. An array is a simple to understand  data structure that is used by all programming languages. The ArrayList  is a particular function that is specific to Java. They are both ways to  declare an array. The cool thing about the ArrayList is that one does  not need to provide the size of the array initially. Java ArrayList  allows for many additional operations like the indexOf() and the  remove() operation. This seems to make ArrayList perhaps of more utility  than a simple array. Although, I have not heard of this ArrayList until  this discussion. I do look forward to experimenting with its many  functions in the future and perhaps in this course.

References:

“Data Structure”, n.d., Java T Point, Retrieved from https://www.javatpoint.com/data-structure-introduction

Mathur, P., 12 Jun, 2020, Geeks for Geeks, Retrieved from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/array-vs-arraylist-in-java/