Data Structures [Linked Lists]

Introduction to Linked Lists

Linked lists provide an efficient way to manage and organize data. Unlike arrays, which have a fixed size, linked lists offer flexibility by dynamically allocating memory as needed. This makes linked lists a valuable tool for handling data structures of varying sizes and improving memory utilization. They are widely used in many applications, including databases, memory management, and more.

Advantages of Linked Lists:

1. Dynamic Memory Allocation: Linked lists allow you to allocate memory for elements dynamically, which means you can efficiently manage memory based on the actual data size.
2. Insertions and Deletions: Inserting or deleting elements in a linked list is generally faster than in an array, especially in scenarios where you need to insert or remove elements frequently.
3. Flexible Size: Linked lists can easily grow or shrink in size without wasting memory. This is in contrast to arrays, where you need to allocate memory for the maximum size in advance.
4. Memory Utilization: Linked lists optimize memory usage by allocating memory for each element and using pointers to connect them, without the need for contiguous memory allocation.

Disadvantages of Linked Lists:

1. Access Time: Accessing elements in a linked list takes longer compared to arrays since you have to traverse the list from the beginning to reach a specific element.
2. Additional Memory: Linked lists require extra memory to store the pointers that connect the elements, which can increase memory consumption compared to simple arrays.

Now, let’s dive into the implementation of a singly linked list:

#include <iostream>
class Node {
public:
 int data;
 Node* next;    
Node(int value): data(value), next(nullptr) {}
};
class LinkedList {
private:
    Node* head;
public:
    LinkedList() : head(nullptr) {}
    void insert(int value) {
        Node* newNode = new Node(value);
        if (!head) {
            head = newNode;
        } else {
            newNode->next = head;
            head = newNode;
        }
    }
    void display() {
        Node* current = head;
        while (current) {
            std::cout << current->data << " ";
            current = current->next;
        }
        std::cout << std::endl;
    }
};
int main() {
    LinkedList list;
    list.insert(10);
    list.insert(20);
    list.insert(30);
    std::cout << "Linked List elements: ";
    list.display();
    return 0;
}

Conclusion:

Linked lists provide a dynamic and efficient way to manage data structures. In this article, we introduced the concept of linked lists, discussed their advantages and disadvantages, and provided a simple C++ implementation of a singly linked list. This is just the beginning of our journey into the world of linked lists. In the upcoming articles, we’ll explore more complex variations and operations, helping you build a solid foundation in this vital data structure.