By Language
Data Structures in Rust
12 essential data structures for Rust developers. Each one explained with Big O complexity, animated visuals, and real code samples you can copy.
Array
[T; N]Fixed-size, contiguous block of memory. Elements are stored sequentially and accessed by index in constant time. The foundation of most other data structures.
arr[0] = 7
Complexity
When to use
- +You know the exact size at creation time
- +You need the fastest possible index-based access
- +Working with fixed-length data like matrices or buffers
// Fixed-size array [T; N] - stack-allocated
let mut nums: [i32; 5] = [10, 20, 30, 40, 50];
nums[0] = 99; // O(1) - direct index
let third = nums[2]; // O(1) - read by index
// Iterate and transform
let doubled: Vec<i32> = nums.iter().map(|x| x * 2).collect();
// Search and sort
nums.sort(); // O(n log n) - in-place
let idx = nums.binary_search(&30); // O(log n) - Result<usize, usize>
let has = nums.contains(&40); // O(n) - linear scan
let sum: i32 = nums.iter().sum(); // O(n)Dynamic Array
Vec<T>Resizable array that automatically grows when capacity is exceeded. The most commonly used data structure in most languages. Doubles its internal storage when full, giving amortized O(1) appends.
arr[0] = 7
Complexity
When to use
- +You need a resizable collection (most common case)
- +You frequently access elements by index
- +You mostly add or remove at the end
let mut names: Vec<String> = vec!["Alice".into(), "Bob".into()];
names.push("Charlie".into()); // O(1) amortized
names.insert(1, "Diana".into()); // O(n) - shifts elements right
names.remove(0); // O(n) - shifts elements left
names.pop(); // O(1) - remove last
let has = names.contains(&"Bob".into()); // O(n) - linear scan
let first = &names[0]; // O(1) - direct index
// Sort and dedup
names.sort(); // O(n log n)
names.dedup(); // O(n) - remove consecutive dups
names.retain(|n| n.len() > 3); // O(n) - filter in placeStack
Vec (push/pop)Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) collection. Only the top element is accessible. Used for tracking state that must be unwound in reverse order.
Push 10
Complexity
When to use
- +Undo/redo functionality
- +Expression parsing and evaluation
- +DFS traversal of trees and graphs
- +Matching brackets, parentheses validation
// Vec as stack - push/pop from the end
let mut stack: Vec<i32> = Vec::new();
stack.push(10); // O(1)
stack.push(20);
stack.push(30);
let top = stack.last(); // O(1) - peek -> Some(30)
let val = stack.pop(); // O(1) - pop -> Some(30)
// Interview pattern: valid parentheses
fn is_valid(s: &str) -> bool {
let mut st: Vec<char> = Vec::new();
for c in s.chars() {
match c {
'(' => st.push(')'),
'[' => st.push(']'),
'{' => st.push('}'),
_ => if st.pop() != Some(c) { return false; },
}
}
st.is_empty()
}Queue
VecDeque<T>First-In-First-Out (FIFO) collection. Elements are added at the back and removed from the front. Fundamental for breadth-first processing.
Enqueue 10
Complexity
When to use
- +BFS traversal of trees and graphs
- +Task scheduling and job queues
- +Message passing between components
- +Rate limiting, buffering
use std::collections::VecDeque;
let mut queue: VecDeque<&str> = VecDeque::new();
queue.push_back("Task A"); // O(1) - enqueue
queue.push_back("Task B");
queue.push_back("Task C");
let front = queue.front(); // O(1) - peek -> Some("Task A")
let val = queue.pop_front(); // O(1) - dequeue -> Some("Task A")
// Interview pattern: BFS level-order
fn bfs(root: Option<Rc<RefCell<TreeNode>>>) -> Vec<Vec<i32>> {
let mut q = VecDeque::new();
let mut result = vec![];
if let Some(r) = root { q.push_back(r); }
while !q.is_empty() {
let level: Vec<i32> = (0..q.len())
.filter_map(|_| q.pop_front())
.inspect(|n| { /* push children */ })
.map(|n| n.borrow().val)
.collect();
result.push(level);
}
result
}Hash Map
HashMap<K,V>Maps keys to values using a hash function for near-constant-time lookups. The single most important data structure for coding interviews. Every language has a built-in implementation.
hash("age") = 0
Complexity
When to use
- +Two Sum and frequency counting patterns
- +Caching computed results (memoization)
- +Grouping data by a key
- +Any problem requiring O(1) lookup by key
use std::collections::HashMap;
let mut map: HashMap<&str, i32> = HashMap::new();
map.insert("apple", 3); // O(1)
map.insert("banana", 5); // O(1)
map.insert("apple", 10); // O(1) - update
let has = map.contains_key("banana"); // O(1)
map.remove("banana"); // O(1)
// Safe lookup with default
let count = map.get("cherry").copied().unwrap_or(0); // O(1)
// Interview pattern: Two Sum
fn two_sum(nums: &[i32], target: i32) -> Vec<usize> {
let mut seen: HashMap<i32, usize> = HashMap::new();
for (i, &num) in nums.iter().enumerate() {
if let Some(&j) = seen.get(&(target - num)) {
return vec![j, i];
}
seen.insert(num, i);
}
vec![]
}Hash Set
HashSet<T>Unordered collection of unique elements. Uses hashing internally for O(1) membership testing. Supports mathematical set operations like union, intersection, and difference.
hash("age") = 0
Complexity
When to use
- +Checking if an element exists in O(1)
- +Removing duplicates from a collection
- +Set operations: union, intersection, difference
- +Visited tracking in graph traversal
use std::collections::HashSet;
let mut set: HashSet<i32> = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].into_iter().collect();
set.insert(6); // O(1) - true (added)
set.insert(3); // O(1) - false (duplicate)
set.remove(&1); // O(1)
let has = set.contains(&4); // O(1) - true
// Set operations
let other: HashSet<i32> = [4, 5, 6, 7].into_iter().collect();
let inter: HashSet<_> = set.intersection(&other).collect(); // {4, 5, 6}
let union: HashSet<_> = set.union(&other).collect();
let diff: HashSet<_> = set.difference(&other).collect();
// Interview pattern: contains duplicate
fn contains_duplicate(nums: &[i32]) -> bool {
let mut seen = HashSet::new();
nums.iter().any(|n| !seen.insert(n)) // insert returns false if dup
}Linked List
LinkedList<T>Sequence of nodes where each node points to the next (singly linked) or both next and previous (doubly linked). Efficient insertion and deletion at any known position, but no index-based access.
traversing: 5
Complexity
When to use
- +Frequent insertion/deletion in the middle
- +Implementing LRU cache (with a hash map)
- +When you need a deque (double-ended queue)
- +Problems involving pointer manipulation
use std::collections::LinkedList;
let mut list = LinkedList::new();
list.push_back(10); // O(1)
list.push_back(20);
list.push_front(5); // O(1)
let front = list.front(); // O(1) - peek -> Some(5)
let back = list.back(); // O(1) - peek -> Some(20)
list.pop_front(); // O(1) - remove front
list.pop_back(); // O(1) - remove back
let has = list.contains(&10); // O(n) - linear scan
let len = list.len(); // O(1)
// Note: std LinkedList has no index access - O(n) traversal only
// For interview problems, prefer defining a custom ListNode:
// struct ListNode { val: i32, next: Option<Box<ListNode>> }Sorted Set (BST)
BTreeSet<T>Collection of unique elements maintained in sorted order, typically backed by a balanced binary search tree (red-black tree). Supports range queries and O(log n) min/max.
search(8)
Complexity
When to use
- +Maintaining a sorted collection of unique items
- +Range queries (all elements between X and Y)
- +Sliding window problems needing sorted order
- +Leaderboards, ranking systems
use std::collections::BTreeSet;
let mut sorted = BTreeSet::new();
for &v in &[5, 3, 8, 1, 9] { sorted.insert(v); }
// Maintains sorted order: {1, 3, 5, 8, 9} (B-tree)
sorted.insert(4); // O(log n)
sorted.remove(&3); // O(log n)
let has = sorted.contains(&8); // O(log n) - true
let min = sorted.iter().next(); // O(log n) - Some(1)
let max = sorted.iter().next_back(); // O(log n) - Some(9)
// Range queries - powerful for interval problems
let range: Vec<_> = sorted.range(4..9).collect(); // [4, 5, 8]
let range_incl: Vec<_> = sorted.range(4..=9).collect(); // [4, 5, 8, 9]Sorted Map (BST)
BTreeMap<K,V>Key-value pairs maintained in sorted key order, typically backed by a balanced BST. Enables ordered iteration and range lookups that hash maps cannot provide.
search(8)
Complexity
When to use
- +You need sorted key-value pairs
- +Ordered iteration over entries
- +Range lookups by key
- +When insertion order or sorted order matters
use std::collections::BTreeMap;
let mut tm = BTreeMap::new();
tm.insert("banana", 2); // O(log n)
tm.insert("apple", 5);
tm.insert("cherry", 1);
tm.insert("date", 3);
let val = tm.get("apple"); // O(log n) -> Some(5)
tm.remove("cherry"); // O(log n)
// Iterates in sorted key order
for (key, val) in &tm {
println!("{key}: {val}"); // apple: 5, banana: 2, date: 3
}
// Range and navigation
let first = tm.iter().next(); // ("apple", 5)
let last = tm.iter().next_back(); // ("date", 3)
let sub: Vec<_> = tm.range("apple"..="cherry").collect();Priority Queue (Heap)
BinaryHeap<T>Collection where elements are dequeued by priority rather than insertion order. Typically implemented as a binary heap. Essential for shortest-path algorithms and top-K problems.
min-heap
Complexity
When to use
- +Dijkstra's shortest path algorithm
- +Merge K sorted lists/streams
- +Top-K / Kth largest element problems
- +Event-driven simulation, scheduling
use std::collections::BinaryHeap;
// Max-heap by default
let mut heap = BinaryHeap::new();
heap.push(30); // O(log n)
heap.push(10);
heap.push(20);
let max = heap.peek(); // O(1) - Some(30)
let val = heap.pop(); // O(log n) - Some(30)
// Min-heap: wrap in Reverse
use std::cmp::Reverse;
let mut min_heap = BinaryHeap::new();
min_heap.push(Reverse(30));
min_heap.push(Reverse(10));
let min = min_heap.pop(); // Some(Reverse(10))
// Build heap from vec - O(n)
let heap = BinaryHeap::from(vec![5, 3, 8, 1, 9]);Concurrent Hash Map
Mutex<HashMap> / DashMapThread-safe hash map designed for concurrent read/write access from multiple threads. Uses fine-grained locking or lock-free techniques instead of a single global lock.
hash("age") = 0
Complexity
When to use
- +Multi-threaded caching
- +Shared state across threads or async tasks
- +Producer-consumer patterns with keyed data
- +When you need concurrent reads and writes
use std::collections::HashMap;
use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
// Option 1: Mutex + HashMap (standard library)
let cache = Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::<String, i32>::new()));
{
let mut map = cache.lock().unwrap(); // acquire lock
map.insert("hits".into(), 0); // O(1)
*map.entry("hits".into()).or_insert(0) += 1; // atomic increment
} // lock released here
// Option 2: dashmap crate (concurrent HashMap, no global lock)
// use dashmap::DashMap;
// let cache = DashMap::new();
// cache.insert("hits", 0); // O(1) - shard-level lock
// cache.entry("hits").and_modify(|v| *v += 1); // atomic update
// let val = cache.get("hits"); // O(1) - read lock on shardMemory View / Slice
&[T] sliceZero-copy view over a contiguous region of memory. Lets you reference a portion of an array or buffer without allocating new memory. Critical for performance-sensitive parsing and processing.
Span[0..3] = [1, 2, 3]
Complexity
When to use
- +Parsing strings or binary data without copies
- +Processing sub-arrays without allocation
- +High-performance, zero-allocation code paths
- +Interop with native or unmanaged memory
// Slices &[T] - zero-copy view into contiguous memory
let data = vec![1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
let slice: &[i32] = &data[1..4]; // O(1) - view of [2, 3, 4]
// Mutable slice
let mut buf = vec![10, 20, 30, 40];
let part: &mut [i32] = &mut buf[..2]; // O(1) - mutable view
part[0] = 99; // mutates original
// Split without allocation
let (left, right) = data.split_at(3); // O(1) - [1,2,3] and [4,5]
// Byte slices for binary parsing
let bytes: &[u8] = b"Hello, World!";
let header = &bytes[..5]; // O(1) - b"Hello"
let body = &bytes[7..]; // O(1) - b"World!"
// Chunks for batch processing
for chunk in data.chunks(2) { // [[1,2], [3,4], [5]]
println!("{chunk:?}");
}Big O Comparison
Average-case time complexity. * = amortized.
| Structure | Access | Search | Insert | Delete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Array | O(1) | O(n) | O(n) | O(n) |
| Dynamic Array | O(1) | O(n) | O(1)* | O(n) |
| Stack | O(n) | O(n) | O(1)* | O(1) |
| Queue | O(n) | O(n) | O(1)* | O(1) |
| Hash Map | O(1) | O(1) | O(1)* | O(1) |
| Hash Set | N/A | O(1) | O(1)* | O(1) |
| Linked List | O(n) | O(n) | O(1) | O(1) |
| Sorted Set | O(n) | O(log n) | O(log n) | O(log n) |
| Sorted Map | O(log n) | O(log n) | O(log n) | O(log n) |
| Priority Queue | O(n) | O(n) | O(log n) | O(log n) |
| Concurrent Map | O(1) | O(1) | O(1)* | O(1) |
| Memory View | O(1) | O(n) | N/A | N/A |
Which collection should I use?
| I need to... | Use |
|---|---|
| Store items by index, resize dynamically | List / Dynamic Array |
| Map keys to values with O(1) lookup | HashMap / Dictionary |
| Track unique items, check existence in O(1) | HashSet / Set |
| Last-in-first-out (undo, DFS, brackets) | Stack |
| First-in-first-out (BFS, task queues) | Queue |
| Keep elements sorted at all times | SortedSet / TreeSet |
| Process items by priority (Dijkstra, top-K) | PriorityQueue / Heap |
| Insert/delete at a known position in O(1) | LinkedList |
| Sorted key-value pairs | SortedDictionary / TreeMap |
| Thread-safe shared cache | ConcurrentDictionary |
| Slice arrays/strings without copying | Span / Slice / memoryview |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important data structures in Rust?add
The most commonly used are dynamic arrays (List/ArrayList/vector), hash maps (Dictionary/HashMap/dict), and hash sets. For interviews, also know stacks, queues, trees, and priority queues. These cover 90%+ of coding interview problems.
Which Rust data structure should I learn first?add
Start with the dynamic array and hash map. Together they solve the majority of interview problems. Then learn stacks (for DFS, bracket matching) and queues (for BFS). After that, tackle trees, heaps, and graphs.
Does Big O complexity change between languages?add
No. Big O measures algorithmic complexity, not language-specific performance. A hash map lookup is O(1) whether you use Python dict, Java HashMap, or C# Dictionary. Constant factors differ (C++ is faster than Python in wall-clock time), but Big O is the same.
Is there a built-in priority queue in Rust?add
It depends on the language runtime. Check the Rust standard library documentation for heap or priority queue support.
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