This version of the book uses the latest Java technology, Java 2 Standard Edition Version 5.0 (J2SE V. 5.0), or otherwise known as "Version 5.0."This revolutionary book intertwines problem solving and software engineering with the study of traditional data structures topics. The book emphasizes the use of objects and object-oriented design. Early chapters provide background coverage of software engineering. Then, in the chapters on data structures, these principles are applied. The authors encourage use of a five-step process for the solution of case studies: problem specification, analysis, design, implementation, and testing. As is done in industry, these steps are sometimes performed in an iterative fashion rather than in strict sequence. The Java Application Programming Interface (API) is used throughout the text. Wherever possible, the specification and interface for a data structure follow the Java Collections Framework. Emphasises the use of objects and object-oriented design Provides a primer on the Java language and offers background coverage of software engineering Encourages an iterative five-step process for the solution of case studies: problem specification, analysis, design, implementation, and testing The Java Application Programming Interface (API) is used throughout

Professors Goodrich and Tamassia are well-recognized researchers in algorithms and data structures, having published many papers in this field, with applications to Internet computing, information visualization, computer security, and geometric computing. They have served as principal investigators in several joint projects sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. They are also active in educational technology research, with special emphasis on algorithm visualization systems.

Michael Goodrich received his Ph.D. in computer science from Purdue University in 1987. He is currently a professor in the Department of Computer Science at University of California, Irvine. Previously, he was a professor at Johns Hopkins University. He is an editor for the International Journal of Computational Geometry & Applications and Journal of Graph Algorithms and Applications.

Roberto Tamassia received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1988. He is currently a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Brown University. He is editor-in-chief for the Journal of Graph Algorithms and Applications and an editor for Computational Geometry: Theory and Applications. He previously served on the editorial board of IEEE Transactions on Computers.

In addition to their research accomplishments, the authors also have extensive experience in the classroom. For example, Dr. Goodrich has taught data structures and algorithms courses, including Data Structures as a freshman-sophomore level course and Introduction to Algorithms as an upper level course. He has earned several teaching awards in this capacity. His teaching style is to involve the students in lively interactive classroom sessions that bring out the intuition and insights behind data structuring and algorithmic techniques. Dr. Tamassia has taught Data Structures and Algorithms as an introductory freshman-level course since 1988. One thing that has set his teaching style apart is his effective use of interactive hypermedia presentations integrated with the Web.

The instructional Web sites, datastructures.net and algorithmdesign.net, supported by Drs. Goodrich and Tamassia are used as reference material by students, teachers, and professionals worldwide.