Skip to main content
Engineering LibreTexts

7.5: Linked Lists

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
  • Page ID
    34675

    • Linked Lists are a linear data structure. Unlike arrays, linked list elements are not stored at a contiguous location; the elements are linked using pointers.

    A linkedlist with 4 elements. The head pointer points to the first element. Each element has a next pointer that points to the next element. The last element's next pointer is a null pointer

    Why Linked List?

    Arrays can be used to store linear data of similar types, but arrays have the following limitations.

    1. The size of the arrays is fixed: So we must know the upper limit on the number of elements in advance. Also, generally, the allocated memory is equal to the upper limit irrespective of the usage.
    2. Inserting a new element in an array of elements is expensive because the room has to be created for the new elements and to create room existing elements have to be shifted.