Methods and apparatus for dynamic and hybrid representation of data structures. A computer program product for representing a data structure includes instructions to cause a processor to receive information associated with the data structure, and determine how to represent the data structure as one of a tree representation, a breadcrumb representation, and a hybrid of a tree representation and a breadcrumb representation. The product is tangibly stored on machine-readable media. A method for representing a data structure includes representing the data structure as a hybrid of a tree representation and a breadcrumb representation.