Dynamic Data Structures: Vectors and Linked Lists

This lecture discusses the differences between vectors and linked lists in C++. It begins by highlighting the advantages of vectors, such as constant time access to elements due to their contiguous memory allocation. However, it also addresses the limitations of vectors, particularly when it comes to maintaining order during insertions and deletions. The instructor introduces linked lists as an alternative, explaining their structure and how they allow for more flexible memory allocation. The lecture covers the implementation of singly linked lists, including the use of pointers to manage elements. It details the computational costs associated with accessing, adding, and removing elements in linked lists compared to vectors. The instructor emphasizes that while linked lists have linear access times, they offer constant time complexity for insertions and deletions, especially when maintaining order. The lecture concludes by exploring more complex data structures, such as binary trees, which can be built using linked lists, thus enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of data management in programming.