Can a variable like 'int' be considered a primitive/fundamental data structure?

Question

A rough definition of a data structure is that it allows you to store data and apply a set of operations on that data while preserving consistency of data before and after the operation. However some people insist that a primitive variable like 'int' can also be considered as a data structure. I get that part where it allows you to store data but I guess the operation part is missing. Primitive variables don't have operations attached to them. So I feel that unless you have a set of operations defined and attached to it you cannot call it a data structure. 'int' doesn't have any operation attached to it, it can be operated upon with a set of generic operators.

Please advise if I got something wrong here.

Answer 1

To say that something is structured implies that there is a form or formatting that defines HOW the data is structured. Note this has nothing to do with how the data is actually stored. You could for example create a data structure that exists entirely within a single Integer, yet represents a number of different values.

A data structure is an arbitrary construct used to describe how to store data in a system. It may be as simple as a single primitive, or as complex as a class. So the answer is largely subjective. It's "yes" if you decide to use a primitive as such, that a simple primitive may be considered a primitive data structure, because it describes HOW you wish to store an element of data. The answer is also "no", because it describes an element of a structure and not necessarily the whole structure in itself.

As for how this relates to operations, strictly speaking a data structure has nothing to do with behaviour, it is simply a storage mechanism. Preserving consistency of data is really a behavioural thing. Yes, your compiler probably spits out errors if you try to shoe-horn a 32-bit value into a Byte, but that's symptomatic of the behaviour of the system (Ie: compilation) acting on the data structure of your application, of which your primitives are an element.

Answer 2

I don't think your definition of data structure is correct.

It seems to me that a struct (with no methods) is a valid data structure, but it has no real 'operations'. And that's not important. It's holding data.

To that end, and int holds data, an Object holds data. They are data structures (technically).

That said, I don't ever find myself saying "What datastructure shall I use? I know! an int!".

I would say you need to re-evaluate the meaning of "data structure".