1 Introducing Data Structures
This chapter covers
- Why you should learn about data structures and algorithms
- What benefits reading this book can give you
- What you need to get started
- Abstracting a problem
- Moving from problems to solutions
1.1 Welcome to Algorithms and Data Structures in Action
It’s great to have you on board for this journey into the world of data structures and algorithms.
We hope this will be as an exciting journey for you as it was for us.
The topics discussed in this book have contributed to advance software engineering and changed the world around us. They still do make a difference and likely, on average, you get in contact with dozens of devices and services using these algorithms, every day.
1.1.1 Why should you learn about Data Structures?
The short answer is: to try and become a better software developer. Knowing about data structures and algorithms is like adding a tool to your tool belt.
Have you ever heard of Maslow’s hammer, aka the law of the instrument? It’s a conjecture, driven by observation, about how people who only know one way to do things, tend to apply what they know to all kind of different situations.
If your tool belt only has a hammer, you will be tempted to treat everything as a nail. If you only know one way to sort a list of numbers, you will never be able to leverage the context to find more efficient solutions.