Select a data structure and add sample data to see visualization
Array/List
- What: Ordered collection of items
- Access: By position (index 0, 1, 2...)
- Best for: Sequential data, ordered lists
- Example: Shopping list, playlist
Object/Dictionary
- What: Key-value pairs
- Access: By key name
- Best for: Related properties, lookups
- Example: User profile, settings
Table
- What: Rows and columns of data
- Access: By row and column
- Best for: Structured records, databases
- Example: Spreadsheet, student grades
Tree
- What: Hierarchical parent-child structure
- Access: By traversing branches
- Best for: Hierarchies, decisions
- Example: File system, org chart
Graph
- What: Nodes connected by relationships
- Access: By following connections
- Best for: Networks, relationships
- Example: Social network, maps
Why Structure Matters in AI and Computer Science:
- Speed: The right structure makes operations faster (searching, sorting, adding)
- Memory: Efficient structures use less RAM and storage
- Clarity: Good structures make code easier to understand and maintain
- Scalability: Some structures handle millions of items better than others
- AI Training: Neural networks, decision trees, and graphs are all data structures!
Machine Learning
Training data in tables, neural networks as graphs, feature vectors as arrays
Search Engines
Web pages in graphs, indexes in trees, rankings in sorted lists
Social Networks
Users as nodes in graphs, friends as connections, posts in lists
Games
Game trees for AI moves, maps as graphs, inventories as lists
Databases
Records in tables, indexes in B-trees, cache in hash tables
File Systems
Folders as trees, files in directories, metadata in dictionaries
Ready to Practice?
Test your understanding in the Data Structure Playground game!
Organize different types of data into the most appropriate structures.
Play the Game →