Linked List in Data Structure PDF

PDF Name	Linked List in Data Structure
No. of Pages	26
PDF Size	0.25 MB
Language	English
PDF Category	Education & Jobs
Source / Credits	mlsu.ac.in
Uploaded By	Pradeep

Linked List in Data Structure - Summary

A linked list is a linear data structure that stores elements in non-contiguous memory locations, making it a flexible choice for managing data. A linked list is made up of a sequence of links, and each link connects to the next one. It is the second most popular data structure after arrays. To fully grasp linked lists, it’s important to understand a few key terms.

A linked list consists of individual data elements known as nodes. Each node has two parts: one part holds the data, and the other part contains the address that connects to the next node in the sequence. In simple words, a linked list is a collection of nodes organized in a specific order without relying on their physical memory arrangement. Each element in the list points to the next one, forming a chain of connected nodes.

Linked List in Data Structure – Types of Linked Lists

Simple Linked List − Item navigation is only in the forward direction.
Doubly Linked List − Items can be navigated both forwards and backwards.
Circular Linked List − The last item links back to the first item, creating a loop.

Basic Operations on Linked Lists

Here are some basic operations you can perform on a linked list:

Insertion − Adds a new element at the beginning of the list.
Deletion − Removes an element from the beginning of the list.
Display − Shows the complete list of elements.
Search − Finds an element using a specific key.
Delete − Removes an element specified by its key.

Advantages of Using Linked Lists

There are several benefits to using linked lists:

Dynamic Size − They can grow or shrink as needed.
Easy Modifications − Adding, removing, or changing elements is simple.
Flexible Elements − Linked lists can hold both basic data types and user-defined types.

Disadvantages of Linked Lists

However, linked lists also come with some downsides:

No Random Access − You must access elements sequentially from the first node.
No Binary Search − Unlike arrays, searching is less efficient.
Averaged Traversal Time − On average, you need to go through half of the list to find an element.
More Complex Creation − They are more complicated to set up compared to arrays.
Extra Memory Required − Each node needs additional memory for its pointer.