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DSA Java Data Structures Complete Guide

This document is a comprehensive guide to data structures in Java, providing quick references and use-case scenarios for various data structures such as arrays, lists, stacks, queues, and maps. It outlines their memory characteristics, access times, and when to use or avoid each structure. Additionally, it includes a mapping of patterns to appropriate data structures and offers golden rules for selecting the right data structure for problem-solving.

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Bharath Kumar
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10 views3 pages

DSA Java Data Structures Complete Guide

This document is a comprehensive guide to data structures in Java, providing quick references and use-case scenarios for various data structures such as arrays, lists, stacks, queues, and maps. It outlines their memory characteristics, access times, and when to use or avoid each structure. Additionally, it includes a mapping of patterns to appropriate data structures and offers golden rules for selecting the right data structure for problem-solving.

Uploaded by

Bharath Kumar
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

DSA – Complete Java-Oriented Data Structures Guide

This PDF is a quick-reference + clarity guide for Data Structures in Java. Use it to clear doubts,
understand use-cases, and choose the right DS during problem solving.

1. Array (int[], String[])

• Memory: Contiguous
• Access: O(1) by index
• Insert/Delete: O(n)

Java: int[] arr = new int[n];


Use when: Order matters, fast access needed
Avoid when: Frequent middle insert/delete

2. String / StringBuilder

• String is immutable
• StringBuilder is mutable

Java: String s, StringBuilder sb


Use when: Text, substrings, pattern problems
Tip: Use StringBuilder in loops

3. ArrayList

• Dynamic array
• Access: O(1)
• Insert/Delete end: O(1), middle: O(n)

Java: ArrayList list


Use when: Dynamic size needed

4. LinkedList

• Non-contiguous memory
• Access: O(n)
• Insert/Delete: O(1) if node known

Java: LinkedList
Use when: Frequent insert/delete

5. Stack / Deque (LIFO)

• Last In First Out

Java: Stack (legacy), Deque


Use when: Undo, recursion simulation, next greater element

6. Queue / Deque (FIFO)

• First In First Out

Java: Queue q = new LinkedList<>();


Use when: BFS, scheduling

7. HashMap

• Key-Value pairs
• Average O(1) operations

Java: HashMap
Use when: Fast lookup, frequency counting
Avoid when: Order matters

8. HashSet

• Unique elements only


• No order

Java: HashSet
Use when: Duplicate detection, uniqueness

9. Tree / Binary Tree

• Hierarchical structure
• DFS / BFS traversal

Java: Custom TreeNode class


Use when: Hierarchy, recursion

10. Binary Search Tree (BST)

• Left < Root < Right


• Inorder gives sorted order

Use when: Sorted data with search

11. Heap / PriorityQueue

• MinHeap by default in Java


• Insert/Delete: O(log n)
Java: PriorityQueue
Use when: Top-K, repeated min/max

12. Graph

• Nodes + edges
• Directed / Undirected

Java: ArrayList>
Use when: Network, paths, dependencies

13. Trie

• Prefix-based tree
• Fast prefix search

Use when: Autocomplete, dictionary problems

Pattern → Data Structure Mapping

• Fast lookup → HashMap


• Sliding window → Deque
• Next greater → Stack
• BFS → Queue
• DFS → Recursion / Stack
• Top-K → Heap
• Prefix search → Trie

Golden Rules

1. Start with brute force


2. Find the bottleneck
3. Pick the DS that removes it
4. Prefer Java standard collections

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