Tree Structures
Tree structures are hierarchical data structures composed of nodes, where each node has a parent (except the root) and zero or more children, forming a branching structure. They are fundamental in computer science for organizing data in a way that enables efficient searching, sorting, and traversal operations. Common types include binary trees, AVL trees, and B-trees, each optimized for specific use cases like database indexing or file systems.
Developers should learn tree structures because they are essential for solving problems involving hierarchical data, such as representing file systems, XML/HTML DOM, or organizational charts. They are widely used in algorithms for efficient data retrieval (e.g., in databases with B-trees) and in applications like compilers for syntax parsing. Understanding trees is crucial for technical interviews and building scalable systems that require optimized search and insertion operations.