Introduction to DSA

A data structure is a way of organizing data so the operations you need are fast — an array, a linked list, a hash table, a tree, a graph.

An algorithm is a precise, step-by-step procedure for solving a problem — sorting a list, finding the shortest route, compressing a file.

The two go together: the right structure can turn a slow algorithm into a fast one. Searching a sorted array takes a handful of steps; searching an unsorted one may need to check everything.