Data structures

• A variable's data type determines the values that the variable can store and the operations that can be performed on it.
• Primitive data types can contain only one value. Examples of primitive data types include integer, real, Boolean, character.
• Composite or compound data types are built by combining primitive data types.
• A data structure is a collection of data that is organised to allow efficient processing.
• Abstract data type


  A conceptual model that describes how data is organised and which operations can be carried out on the data (e.g. insert, delete) from the perspective of an end user who does not need to know how this is implemented
• There are often many ways to implement an abstract data type, depending on the programming language being used