Coding interviews are all about solving questions conceptually and then transcribing it into code.
Data structures and algorithms are the tools to transcribing these problems.
Data structures and algorithms you should know in the context of coding interviews usual comprise of the following
- linkedlist
- tree - often answered via recursion
- graph
- arrays (2d very common)
- primitive values
- sorting/searching
- dynamic programming
- recursion
From wiki
In computer science, a data structure is a data organization, management, and storage format that enables efficient access and modification. More precisely, a data structure is a collection of data values, the relationships among them, and the functions or operations that can be applied to the data, i.e., it is an algebraic structure about data.
In layman's terms:
- Stuff you need for coding interviews
- Stuff you need to organize and manage data
For example for e-mail you are organizing and structuring data structures.
Manipulating data to accomplish something. Store/receive data and transforms it
At a very elementary level all you're doing is manipulating data.
Running joke at google is all engineers do is move data from one place to another.