Lesson on creating custom data structures

custom-data-structures.md

Custom Data Structures

Objectives

• Explain what a data structure is
• Use JavaScripts Map data structure
• Use JavaScripts Set data structure
• Build a custom data structure

Explain what a data structure is

• Turn to your neighbor and discuss what a data structure is in your own words.

  Your answer...

• What are some examples of data structures we've used in JavaScript?

  Your answer...

Map

Take a look at the new Map data structure

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Map

const obj = {}

obj.name = 'Rocko' // set key & value
obj.name // returns value 'Rocko'

const map = new Map()

map.set('name', 'Rocko') // set key & value
map.get('name') // returns value 'Rocko'

map.size // counts key-value pairs

Example

https://repl.it/@galvanize/MapExample

Set

Take a look at the new Set data structure

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Set

How does a set differ from a Map?

const s = new Set()

s.add('Rocko') // adds item to set
s.add('Spunky')
s.add('Rocko') // does NOT add duplicate item

s.size() // counts items in set

Example

https://repl.it/@scottyhurlow/SetExample

Creating custom data structures

Take a look at the following repo: CustomSet.

Fork & clone the repo. Follow the tests to implement the CustomSet data structure.