Essential JavaScript Data Structures You Must Know 🔥

Ali Samir
Dec 31, 2023
3 min read
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Data structures stand out as a heavily examined subject across numerous companies. Serving as the foundation of the IT industry, they find extensive applications in artificial intelligence, computer systems operations, graphics, and more.

This article explores seven JavaScript data structures essential for every developer.


#📌 Arrays

🔰 JavaScript arrays represent the most straightforward and frequently utilized data structure.

🔰 These arrays consist of items stored in consecutive locations, offering dynamic capabilities that facilitate effortless addition or removal of elements.

🔰 Indexed starting from 0, JavaScript arrays also provide support for various built-in manipulation methods.

// Example of an array
let fruits = ['apple', 'banana', 'orange'];
fruits.push('grape'); // Adds 'grape' to the end of the array


#📌 Objects

🔰 Key-value pairs constitute objects, serving as a versatile means to depict and store data.

🔰 Their flexibility enables the inclusion of various data types, including other objects.

🔰 Objects frequently serve as a modeling tool for encapsulating real-world entities and their respective attributes.

// Example of an object
let person = {
  name: 'John',
  age: 30,
  city: 'New York'
};
console.log(person.name); // Accessing the value using the key


#📌 Linked Lists

🔰 Linked lists consist of nodes, with each node containing data and a reference to the subsequent node in the sequence.

🔰 In contrast to arrays, linked lists offer dynamic memory allocation, making them well-suited for situations where the size of the data structure may undergo frequent changes.

// Example of a linked list node
class Node {
  constructor(data) {
    this.data = data;
    this.next = null;
  }
}


#📌 Stacks

🔰 A stack operates on the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle, where elements are both added and removed at the top end.

🔰 Stacks find frequent applications in managing function calls, deletion processes, and parsing expressions.

// Example of a stack using an array
let stack = [];
stack.push('a'); // Pushing an element onto the stack
let topElement = stack.pop(); // Popping the top element from the stack


#📌 Queues

🔰 A queue operates on the principle of First In, First Out (FIFO), where elements are inserted at the rear and extracted from the front.

🔰 Queues play a crucial role in various situations such as task scheduling, breadth-first search, and managing print jobs.

// Example of a queue using an array
let queue = [];
queue.push('a'); // Enqueue an element
let frontElement = queue.shift(); // Dequeue the front element


#📌 Hash Tables

🔰 Hash tables employ a hash function to establish a mapping between keys and indexes, facilitating swift data retrieval.

🔰 They find frequent applications in the implementation of arrays, dictionaries, and associative caches.

🔰 JavaScript objects can be conceptualized as a variant of a hash table.

// Example of a simple hash table
let hashTable = {};
hashTable['name'] = 'Alice';
let value = hashTable['name']; // Retrieving value using the key


#📌 Trees

🔰 Trees represent hierarchical data structures, featuring a central root node from which branches extend to leaf nodes.

🔰 Binary trees, specifically, find common applications in scenarios like heaps and binary search trees.

// Example of a binary tree node
class TreeNode {
  constructor(value) {
    this.value = value;
    this.left = null;
    this.right = null;
  }
}


🚀 Acquiring proficiency in fundamental JavaScript data structures is crucial for crafting code that is not only efficient but also scalable.

🚀 The selection of an appropriate data structure can profoundly influence the performance of your applications, depending on the specific challenges you face.

🚀 A solid comprehension of the workings of these data structures and the ability to discern when to employ them will empower you to create resilient and streamlined JavaScript applications.

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