Struct / Record

Overview

A Record (also called a Struct) is a non-primitive data type that groups multiple related fields, possibly of different data types, into a single unit. Each field has a name, making the structure self-describing and easy to work with.

Records model real-world entities cleanly and explicitly.

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What Is a Record / Struct?

A record:

• Combines heterogeneous data
• Uses named fields
• Represents a single logical entity

Each field is accessed by its name, not by position.

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How It Works

When a record is defined:

1. Memory is allocated for all fields
2. Fields are laid out sequentially (with possible padding)
3. Each field has a fixed offset

Access uses:

record.fieldName

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Example

Pseudocode

struct Person {
    name: String
    age: Integer
    isEmployed: Boolean
}

p = Person("Anita", 30, true)
print(p.age)

CommonOperations

Operation	Description
Creation	Allocate and initialize fields
Field access	Read or write a field
Assignment	Copy or reference-based
Comparison	Field-wise (language dependent)

Real-world Analogy

A record is like a form with labeled fields. Each label tells you exactly what the value represents 📝.

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Time and Space Complexity

• Space: O(n), where n is number of fields
• Field access: O(1)

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Use Cases

• Modeling entities (users, products, sensors)
• Data transfer objects
• Configuration records
• Database row representations

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Advantages

• Improves code readability
• Groups related data
• Type-safe field access

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Limitations

• Fixed structure once defined
• No built-in behavior (without methods)
• Large records may increase copy cost

Record vs Array

Aspect	Record	Array
Field types	Different	Same
Access	By name	By index
Semantics	Descriptive	Positional