C++ Skip List vs Balanced Tree

What are the main differences between a Skip List and a Balanced Tree in C++?

Skip Lists are probabilistic data structures that allow for fast search, insertion, and deletion, while Balanced Trees (like AVL or Red-Black Trees) are deterministic and maintain a balanced height for efficient operations.

Which one is faster for search operations?

Skip Lists can be faster on average due to their probabilistic nature, especially for large datasets, but Balanced Trees provide guaranteed logarithmic time complexity.

Are there any scenarios where one is preferred over the other?

Yes, Skip Lists are often preferred in concurrent applications due to their simpler implementation for multi-threading, while Balanced Trees are better for applications requiring strict performance guarantees.

Can you give me a code example of both?

Sure! Here's a simple implementation of a Skip List and a Balanced Tree in C++. Would you like to see both or just one?

Let's see both implementations!