What are custom data structures and how do I create one?

What are custom data structures and how do I create one?

Custom data structures are user-defined types that allow you to organize and manage data in a way that suits your needs. You can create them using classes or structs in programming languages like Python, Java, or C++.

Can you give me an example of a custom data structure in Python?

Sure! Here's a simple example of a custom data structure in Python using a class to create a 'Node' for a linked list:

class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.next = None

How would I use this Node class to create a linked list?

You can create a linked list by linking multiple Node instances together. Here's a basic implementation:

class LinkedList:
    def __init__(self):
        self.head = None

    def append(self, data):
        new_node = Node(data)
        if not self.head:
            self.head = new_node
            return
        last = self.head
        while last.next:
            last = last.next
        last.next = new_node

What are some advantages of using custom data structures?

Custom data structures allow for optimized data management tailored to specific use cases, improving performance and readability.