What are the performance differences between mutable and immutable data structures?

What are the performance differences between mutable and immutable data structures?

Mutable data structures can be changed after creation, while immutable ones cannot. This affects performance in various ways.

Can you give me an example of when to use mutable vs immutable?

Sure! Use mutable structures for frequent updates, like a list of items. Use immutable for fixed data, like configuration settings.

How does memory usage differ between them?

Mutable structures typically use less memory since they can be modified in place. Immutable structures may require more memory due to creating new copies.

Are there any performance benchmarks available?

Yes, benchmarks show that immutable structures can be slower for updates but faster for reads in certain contexts.

What languages favor one over the other?

Languages like Python and JavaScript support both, but functional languages like Haskell favor immutability for safety and concurrency.