Explore KSACs by Pathway
In late 2025, the Partnership pulled together members of industry from across tech to share how the in-demand skillsets for entry-level roles in their fields have changed in the last two years. The Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Credentials (KSACs) below reflect their feedback on entry-level expectations, especially in a tech workplace increasingly shaped by AI.
3. Fundamental Data Structures
| Label | KSAC Description | Bloom's Taxonomy Level | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | Apply built-in libraries and interfaces to implement data structures in real codebases. | ability | 1 |
| b | Describe common applications for data structures such as: stack, queue, priority queue, set, and map. | knowledge | 1 |
| c | Write programs that use each of the following data structures: arrays, records/structs, strings, linked lists, stacks, queues, sets, and maps. | skill | 3 |
| d | Write programs that can use each of the following data structures: heaps and B-trees. | skill | 3 |
| e | Compare alternative implementations of data structures with respect to performance. | skill | 4 |
| f | Choose the appropriate data structure for modeling a given problem. | skill | 3 |
| g | Identify the costs and benefits of dynamic and static data structure implementations. | knowledge | 1 |
| h | Understand fundamental data management and storage principles. | knowledge | 1 |
| i | Explain time and space complexity tradeoffs for choosing a data structure. | knowledge | 1 |
| j | Understand immutability and persistent data structures in functional programming contexts. | knowledge | 1 |
Credentials
- N/A