Advantages of data structure

Disadvantages of data structure

We have already learned in previous chapter that data structure plays crucial role in design and
maintenance of an application program.

However like every other thing in this world, data structure has its own advantages and disadvantages.
We are going to focus on the advantages and disadvantages of using data structure.

Advantages of data structure

Given below are important advantages of data structure:

Data structure helps in efficient storage of data in the storage device.

Data structure usage provides convenience while retrieving the data from storage device.

Data structure provides effective and efficient processing of small as well as large amount of data.

Usage of proper data structure, can help programmer save lots of time or processing time while
operations such as storage, retrieval or processing of data.

Manipulation of large amount of data can be carried out easily with the use of good data structure
approach.

Most of the well organized data structures like Array, stack, queues, graph, tree, linked list has well built
and pre-planned approach for operations like storage, addition, retrieval, manipulation, deletion, etc.
While using them, programmer can be completely rely on these data structures.

Data structure usage can simply encourage reusability in long run as well.

Data structure like array, linked list, tree, graph, stack, etc. are well tested and proven one so any one
can easily use them directly without need to research and development on them. If you decide to create
your own data structure that may need some research work but then it would definitely be to solve
something more complex than what these can provide. Isn’t it?

Lets understand the advantages of data structure with an example.

For example, consider an array data structure.

Advantages and advantages of array data structure

Some of the advantages of array data structure are:

All elements are stored strategically based on index number in well organized manner.

We can easily traverse (move back and forth or sideways) the above array

We can fetch element based on their index number at any time.

We can also search for a particular element from array by traversing it.

We can sort the above array in ascending or descending order using various sorting techniques.

We can delete any element from the above array.

Thus we see that an array provides all the facilities that one may require in day to day working and
structure wise it also simple. But still it has certain drawbacks.

We will discuss about advantages of other data structures like queue, stack, tree, graph, etc. in their
respective chapters. Each of them will allow all these operations mentioned above but the only
difference will be that they may do certain operation or things better than other when measured in
terms of space and time complexity.

Disadvantages of data structure

Given below are important disadvantages of data structure:

An application using data structure requires highly qualified professional resource to manage the
operations related to data structure. For example, consider the array example that we explained above.
If we need to get the elements of the above array in ascending or descending order then we must know
sorting technique algorithms like insertion sort, bubble sort, etc. Or a good coder will also be able to
design their own sorting algorithm. Similarly there may be other complex operations to be performed
which may require dedicated professional.

Bigger the application or data structure involved in creating and maintaining application more is the
requirement of man power. This can increase maintaining data structure costs. For example, we have
several data structure available like array, queue, stack, linked list, tree, graph, etc. Bigger the
application is more the amount of such data structures will be involved. Thus you may need several
professional to create and maintain the application.

Designing your own data structure may involve complex algorithm and may require lot of time and
testing to conclude they are full-proof and ready to use for organization purpose. This again will come
with increase cost. And after development is complete it may be found that the new data structure
designed is not that effective as was expected.

However these disadvantages can be ignored because of the whole bunch of advantages data structures
offer can easily compensate the disadvantages. Or it can also happen that with research and
development these issues may be eleminated.

We have seen advantages and disadvantages of data structure so lets proceed to categories of data
structure in next chapter.