How much programming knowledge need before learning data structures and algorithms?

None, in their purest form data structures and algorithms are theoretical constructs largely independent of programming languages.

To *implement* one might be slightly more difficult, you'd need a decent grasp of pointers (or references in Java etc.) and recursion, at least for DS. However they can vary wildly. A linked list is just a bunch of pointers, while a bloom filter is slightly more involved.

Similarly for algorithms.
My advice would be, as long as you can make basic programs in your language of choice, just start on DS and algos, you'll learn as you go along.

None

general literacy in CS and basic maths (algebra especially) is ok to grasp the underlying concepts.

to be a master tho... well, nobody lives so long

@torbuntu @24th-Dragon @RememberMe @netikras @thatsnotnice thanks a lot for your replies 🙂🙂