data structure is a particular way of storing and organizing data in a computer so that it can be

used efficiently.[1][2]

Data structures are generally based on the ability of a computer to fetch and store data at any
place in its memory, specified by an address — a bit string that can be itself stored in memory
and manipulated by the program. Thus the record and array data structures are based on
computing the addresses of data items with arithmetic operations; while the linked data structures
are based on storing addresses of data items within the structure itself. Many data structures use
both principles, sometimes combined in non-trivial ways
Abstract data structures

The implementation of a data structure usually requires writing a set of procedures that create
and manipulate instances of that structure. The efficiency of a data structure cannot be analyzed
separately from those operations.

This observation motivates the theoretical concept of an abstract data type, a data structure that
is defined indirectly by the operations that may be performed on it, and the mathematical
properties of those operations (including their space and time cost).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_data_structures

Data structure = organized data + operations

The data structure deals with the study of how the data is organized.
Different Types of Data Structures:

The data structures can be classified into two different types namely

( i ) Primitive data structures and ( ii ) Non - primitive data structures

Primitive data structures

The data structure which can be directly operated are called primitive data structures. The
integer, float, character etc. are some of the primitive data structures. Operations like creation,
deletion, selection and updation can be carried out on primitive data structures.

Non - primitive data structures

The data structures which are not primitive are called non-primitive data structures which means
these are data structures that cannot be manipulated directly. Non-primitive data structures can
be again classified into two different types namely (i) Linear data structure and (ii) Non-linear data
structure.

A linear data structure is the one which establishes the relationship of adjacency between the
elements which means all the elements are stored linearly or sequentially. Some examples of
linear data structures are arrays, linked list, stacks and queues.

Any data structure which establishes the relationship their tha the adjacency relationship are
called as non-linear data structure. Some examples of non-linear data structures are trees and
graphs.

http://www.sharpprogrammer.com/data-structures/types-of-data-structures/