Overview

Data Structures and the Standard Template Library by William Collins teaches the fundamentals of data structures and their implementations, using C++ as the language of instruction. As they progress through the book, students come to understand and use data structures effectively by studying the method interfaces, examples, and applications. Most of the data structures are provided in the Standard Template Library (STL), which students are then familiar with for their future coursework and beyond. Also, the canonical implementation of those STL data structures is investigated in some detail. This exposes students to a professionally developed implementation of the STL that is both efficient and concise. To further students’ understanding of implementation issues, alternative implementations of several of those data structures are also examined.

Hands-on learning is promoted throughout the text. Programming projects at the end of each chapter allow students to develop and implement their own data structures, or to extend or apply data structures introduced in the chapter. Optional labs accompany the book and allow students to practice what they are learning by giving them opportunities to code. These labs can be used in many different ways such as in a closed lab, in an open lab, or for optional homework assignments.