Linear and Non-Linear Data Structures

Data components in Linear Data Structures are accessible progressively. Arrays, Linked Lists, Queues, Stacks, and Double Linked Lists are some examples. A data member of a Non-Linear Data Structure may be connected to multiple additional data members; these formations have no defined sequence. Examples include graphs and trees.

Linear Data Structure

A linear data structure combines data items so that they are ordered sequentially, and each element is linked to the one in front and behind it. The structure may thus be covered in a single run. Linear data structures are referred to as simple to build since computer memory is also likewise organized in a linear manner. Linear data structures are most often classified into four types:

• Array
• Linked list
• Stack
• Queue

Array – An array is a data structure of records that are stored in shared memory addresses. The array module in Python may be used to work with arrays.

Linked list  – A linked list is one of the forms of linear data structure. The components in this form are connected together via pointers. It is made up of nodes, each of which has a data field and also a link referenced towards the next following node in the list.

Stack – A stack is a form of linear data structure that holds information in Last-In.First-Out (LIFO) or First-In.Last-Out (FILO) order. In this case, when a new component is introduced at a single end, another component gets deleted at the opposite end. In Python, a stack may be applied in the below ways:

• List
• Collections.deque
• Queue. Last-In.First-Out Queue

Insertion and deletion actions are sometimes known as push and pop.

Queue – A queue is a form of linear data structure. This holds data items in a First-In. First-Out (FIFO) fashion, which means that the one that is inserted first is withdrawn first. In Python, a queue may be built in the following ways:

• List
• Collections.deque
• Queue. First-In.First-Out Queue

Non-Linear Data Structures

Non-Linear Data Structures: A non-linear data structure is one in which data elements are not ordered consecutively. In other words, A data component of the non-linear data structure might be linked to even more than one other component to represent a specific connection between them. In a nonlinear data structure, all data items cannot be processed in a single session.

Trees and graphs are examples of nonlinear data structures.

A tree is a set of nodes that are organized hierarchically and establish parent-child connections. A graph is made up of a finite number of nodes and edges that link the vertices. Edges denote the connections between vertices that hold data items.

Linear And Non-Linear Data Structures: Difference

Linear Data Structures

• Data elements are progressively connected in a linear data structure, and each element may be traversed in a single run
• All data items are present at a single level in a linear data structure
• Linear data structures are more straightforward to implement
• The time complexity of a linear data structure frequently increases as its size grows

Non-Linear Data Structures

• Data components are hierarchically related and appear at different levels in a non-linear data structure
• Data components are present at numerous levels in a non-linear data structure
• In comparison to linear data structures, non-linear data structures are more challenging to understand and apply
• The time complexity of non-linear data structures frequently increases with size

Conclusion 

We discussed Linear, Non-Linear data structures, the difference between Linear and Non-Linear data structures, and other related topics through the study material notes on the difference between Linear and Non-Linear data structures. 

The data structure is a means of arranging and storing information and information in such a way that a user may efficiently utilize them. The data structure in computer science is designed in such a manner that it may be used with a variety of algorithms. It is divided into two major categories:

Linear Data Structure – This is a sort of Data Structure in which the data items are ordered linearly or consecutively.

Non-Linear Data Structure – A data structure in which the data components are not ordered sequentially or consecutively.