Grokking Data Structures by Marcello La Rocca.
Marcello holds a MS in Computer Science from Università di Catania in Catania Italy. He is a former Full Stack Engineer at Twitter and then Microsoft, a former Senior Applied Research Engineer at Apple and today he is Principal Software Engineer at Luware.
Grokking Data Structures is a very engaging introduction to one of computing’s most foundational topics. This book as designed for readers with a basic understanding of Python. Marcello is easily establishing a base understanding of data structures via the Grokking theme of cartoons, real-world examples, and also hands on coding. The benefit for readers is a refreshingly approach to a complex topic.
So, rather than overwhelming readers with a very deep theory, Marcello is in fact guiding readers into the core, simple data concepts including arrays and linked lists. Then he is moving to advanced structures such as graphs and binary search trees. Each chapter is carefully written building upon the previous to ensure readers can fully understand data structures.
Start with Python to explore code samples
All data structure lessons include its own complete Python implementation. So even from readers who are first engaging Data Structures can immediately begin experimenting. In fact, readers can even many use of these coding examples as preparation for coding interviews or even technical review. The suggestion is that students can use code to supplement their computer science courses. Data structures are certainly vital for your data organization knowledge.
Another title, Grokking Algorithms is book that I would highly recommend as a companion:
The key resource for readers is Grokking’s visual storytelling. There are many illustrations and cartoons which make this complex idea of data easy to understand and remember. This is certainly a perfect book perfect for for beginners. In addition, Marcello is demonstrating why data structures really matter and when to best use them. Yet he is emphasizing the importance of understanding trade-offs with time and memory complexity.
In conclusion, Grokking Data Structures is a must read for anyone seeking to learn and develop a strong foundation in data structures. You will not be lost in any chapter lesson regardless of your background or programming experience. Perfect read!