Programming Foundations: Data Structures

Introduction

• Why to use data structures
• What you need to know
• How to use CoderPad
• How to Use GitHub Codespaces

1. Data Fundamentals

• What is data?
• Introduction to data structures
• Built-in data structures in Python
• Common operations on data structures
• Big-O notation

2. Array-Like Structures

• What is an array?
• Create a list in Python
• Retrieve data from a list in Python
• Mutate a list in Python
• Solution: Swap items
• Multidimensional lists in Python
• Tuples in Python
• Solution: Square items
• Search array-like structures
• Sort array-like structures
• Solution: Find the second smallest item
• When to use array-like structures

3. Dictionaries

• What is a dictionary?
• Create a dictionary in Python
• Mutate a dictionary in Python
• Solution: Update salary
• Handle missing dictionary keys
• Retrieve keys and value collections from dictionaries
• Solution: Clean user preferences
• When to use dictionaries

4. Sets

• What is a set?
• Determine set membership in Python
• Mutate a set in Python
• Solution: Unique characters
• Operations on sets in Python
• Immutable sets in Python
• Solution: Mutual friends
• When to use sets

5. Queues

• What is a queue?
• Use a deque as a queue in Python
• Solution: Generate binary numbers
• When to use queues

6. Stacks

• What is a stack?
• Use a list as a stack in Python
• Use a deque as a stack in Python
• Solution: Matching parentheses
• When to use stacks

7. Practice Using Data Structures in Python Applications

• GitHub Codespace challenge: To-do list
• GitHub Codespace solution: To-do list
• GitHub Codespace challenge: Reservation waitlist
• GitHub Codespace solution: Reservation waitlist
• GitHub Codespace challenge: Inventory tracker
• GitHub Codespace solution: Inventory tracker

9. Conclusion

• How to decide which data structure to use