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What's "linked list" in CS?

Mar 4, 2024

What's "linked list" in CS?

In Computer Science, a linked list is a linear data structure where each element is a separate object, commonly called a 'node'. Each node contains a reference (or link) to the next node in the sequence. This structure allows for efficient insertion and removal of elements from any position in the sequence during iteration.

Properties of a Linked List

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Dynamic Size: Unlike arrays, linked lists are dynamic and can grow or shrink in size

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Memory Utilization: Nodes are allocated memory only when required, which can lead to efficient memory usage

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Insertion and Deletion: Nodes can easily be added or removed without reorganizing the entire data structure

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No Random Access: Linked lists do not support direct access to elements by their position, which means that to access an element, you need to follow the links from the beginning

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Types: There are various types of linked lists such as singly linked lists, doubly linked lists, and circular linked lists, each with its own set of properties and use cases

A singly linked list, for example, contains nodes where each node has data and a reference to the next node. Here is a simple representation of a node in a singly linked list in Python:

python

And here is how you might define a simple linked list with basic operations:

python

To use this linked list, you would create an instance of the LinkedList class and use its methods to append data and display the list.