Data Structure and Algorithm Data Structures & Algorithms

Linked List─ Basics

Linked List
A linked list is a sequence of data structures, which are connected together via links.

Linked List is a sequence of links which contains items. Each link contains a connection to
another link. Linked list is the second most-used data structure after array. Following are
the important terms to understand the concept of Linked List.

• Link − Each link of a linked list can store a data called an element.

• Next − Each link of a linked list contains a link to the next link called Next.

• Linked List − A Linked List contains the connection link to the first link called First.

Linked List Representation

Linked list can be visualized as a chain of nodes, where every node points to the next node.

As per the above illustration, following are the important points to be considered.

• Linked List contains a link element called first.

• Each link carries a data field(s) and a link field called next.

• Each link is linked with its next link using its next link.

• Last link carries a link as null to mark the end of the list.

Types of Linked List

Following are the various types of linked list.

• Simple Linked List − Item navigation is forward only.

• Doubly Linked List − Items can be navigated forward and backward.

• Circular Linked List − Last item contains link of the first element as next and the
first element has a link to the last element as previous.

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 1 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Basic Operations

Following are the basic operations supported by a list.

• Insertion − Adds an element at the beginning of the list.

• Deletion − Deletes an element at the beginning of the list.

• Display − Displays the complete list.

• Search − Searches an element using the given key.

• Delete − Deletes an element using the given key.

Insertion Operation

Adding a new node in linked list is a more than one step activity. We s hall learn this with
diagrams here. First, create a node using the same structure and find the location where it
has to be inserted.

Imagine that we are inserting a node B (NewNode), between A (LeftNode) and C

(RightNode). Then point B.next to C

NewNode.next −> RightNode;

It should look like this −

Now, the next node at the left should point to the new node.

LeftNode.next −> NewNode;

This will put the new node in the middle of the two. The new list should look like this −

Similar steps should be taken if the node is being inserted at the beginning of the list. While
inserting it at the end, the second last node of the list should point to the new node and the
new node will point to NULL.

Deletion Operation

Deletion is also a more than one step process. We shall learn with pictorial representation.
First, locate the target node to be removed, by using searching algorithms.

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 2 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

The left (previous) node of the target node now should point to the next node of the target
node −

LeftNode.next −> TargetNode.next;

This will remove the link that was pointing to the target node. Now, using the following code,
we will remove what the target node is pointing at.

TargetNode.next −> NULL;

We need to use the deleted node. W e can keep that in memory otherwise we can simply
deallocate memory and wipe off the target node completely.

Reverse Operation

This operation is a thorough one. We need to make the last node to be pointed by the head
node and reverse the whole linked list.

First, we traverse to the end of the list. It should be pointing to NULL. Now, we shall make it
point to its previous node

We have to make sure that the last node is not the lost node. So we'll have some temp node,
which looks like the head node pointing to the last node. Now, we shall make all left side
nodes point to their previous nodes one by one.

Except the node (first node) pointed by the head node, all nodes should point to their
predecessor, making them their new successor. The first node will point to NULL.

We'll make the head node point to the new first node by using the temp node.

The linked list is now reversed.

Linked List Program in C

A linked list is a sequence of data structures, which are connected together via links. Linked
List is a sequence of links which contains items. Each link contains a connection to another
link. Linked list is the second most-used data structure after array.
link->key = key;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 3 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

link->data = data;

//point it to old first node

link->next = head;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 4 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//point first to new first node

head = link;

//delete first item struct

node* deleteFirst()

//save reference to first link

struct node *tempLink = head;

//mark next to first link as first

head = head->next;

//return the deleted link return

tempLink;

//is list empty bool

isEmpty()

{
return head == NULL;
} int length() { int
length = 0; struct node
*current;

for(current = head; current != NULL; current = current->next)

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 5 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 6 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

struct node* delete(int key){

//start from the first link struct

node* current = head; struct node*
previous = NULL;

//if list is empty

if(head == NULL){ return
NULL;

//navigate through list while(current->key

!= key){

//if it is last node

if(current->next == NULL){

return NULL; }else {

//store reference to current link

previous = current; //move to next link
current = current->next;

//found a match, update the link if(current

== head) {

//change first to point to next link

head = head->next;

}else {
//bypass the current link previous-
>next = current->next;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 7 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

} return
current; } void
sort(){

int i, j, k, tempKey, tempData ;

struct node *current; struct node
*next;

int size = length(); k

= size ;

for ( i = 0 ; i < size - 1 ; i++, k-- ) {

current = head ; next = head->next ;

for ( j = 1 ; j < k ; j++ ) {

if ( current->data > next->data ) {

tempData = current->data ; current->data
= next->data; next->data = tempData ;

tempKey = current->key;
current->key = next->key;

next->key = tempKey;

current = current->next; next = next-

>next;

}
} }
void reverse(struct node** head_ref) {
struct node* prev = NULL; struct
node* current = *head_ref;

struct node* next;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 8 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 9 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

insertFirst(6,56);
printf("\nRestored List: ");
printList(); printf("\n");

struct node *foundLink = find(4);

if(foundLink != NULL){
printf("Element found: ");

printf("(%d,%d) ",foundLink->key,foundLink->data);
printf("\n"); }else {

printf("Element not found.");

}
delete(4);

printf("List after deleting an item: ");

printList(); printf("\n"); foundLink =
find(4);

if(foundLink != NULL){
printf("Element found: ");

printf("(%d,%d) ",foundLink->key,foundLink->data);
printf("\n"); }else {

printf("Element not found.");

}

printf("\n"); sort();

printf("List after sorting the data: ");

printList(); reverse(&head);

printf("\nList after reversing the data: "); printList();

If we compile and run the above program, it will produce the following result −

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 10 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Original List:
[ (6,56) (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ]
Deleted value:(6,56)
Deleted value:(5,40)
Deleted value:(4,1)
Deleted value:(3,30)
Deleted value:(2,20)
Deleted value:(1,10)
List after deleting all items:
[ ]
Restored List:
[ (6,56) (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ]
Element found: (4,1)
List after deleting an item:
[ (6,56) (5,40) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ] Element
not found.

List after sorting the data:

[ (1,10) (2,20) (3,30) (5,40) (6,56) ] List
after reversing the data:

[ (6,56) (5,40) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ]

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 11 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Data Structures & Algorithms

Doubly Linked List

Doubly Linked List is a variation of Linked list in which navigation is possible in both ways,
either forward and backward easily as compared to Single Linked List. Following are the
important terms to understand the concept of doubly linked list.

• Link − Each link of a linked list can store a data called an element.

• Next − Each link of a linked list contains a link to the next link called Next.

• Prev − Each link of a linked list contains a link to the previous link called Prev.

• Linked List − A Linked List contains the connection link to the first link called First
and to the last link called Last.

• Doubly Linked List contains a link element called first and last.

• Each link carries a data field(s) and a link field called next.

• Each link is linked with its next link using its next link.

• Each link is linked with its previous link using its previous link.

• The last link carries a link as null to mark the end of the list.

Basic Operations

Following are the basic operations supported by a list.

• Insertion − Adds an element at the beginning of the list.

• Deletion − Deletes an element at the beginning of the list.

• Insert Last − Adds an element at the end of the list.

• Delete Last − Deletes an element from the end of the list.

• Insert After − Adds an element after an item of the list.

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 12 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

• Delete − Deletes an element from the list using the key.

• Display forward − Displays the complete list in a forward manner.

• Display backward − Displays the complete list in a backward manner.

Insertion Operation

Following code demonstrates the insertion operation at the beginning of a doubly linked list.
//insert link at the first location void
insertFirst(int key, int data) {

//create a link
struct node *link = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
link->key = key; link->data = data;

if(isEmpty()) {
//make it the last link
last = link;

}else {
//update first prev link
head->prev = link;

//point it to old first link link-

>next = head;

//point first to new first link

head = link;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 13 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Deletion Operation

Following code demonstrates the deletion operation at the beginning of a doubly linked list.
//delete first item struct
node* deleteFirst() {

//save reference to first link

struct node *tempLink = head;

//if only one link

if(head->next == NULL) {
last = NULL;

}else {
head->next->prev = NULL;
}

head = head->next;

//return the deleted link

return tempLink;

}
Insertion at the End of an Operation

Following code demonstrates the insertion operation at the last position of a doubly linked
list.
//insert link at the last location void
insertLast(int key, int data) {

//create a link
struct node *link = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
link->key = key; link->data = data;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 14 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

if(isEmpty()) {
//make it the last link
last = link;

}else {
//make link a new last link
last->next = link;

//mark old last node as prev of new link

link->prev = last;

//point last to new last node

last = link;

}
Doubly Linked List Program in C

Doubly Linked List is a variation of Linked list in which navigation is possible in both ways,
either forward and backward easily as compared to Single Linked List.

Implementation in C
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

struct node {
int data; int
key;

struct node *next;

struct node *prev;

};

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 15 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//this link always point to first Link struct

node *head = NULL;

//this link always point to last Link struct

node *last = NULL;

struct node *current = NULL;

//is list empty bool

isEmpty(){ return head
== NULL;

} int length(){ int

length = 0; struct node
*current;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 16 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

for(current = head; current != NULL; current = current->next){

length++;

return length;
}

//display the list in from first to last void

displayForward(){

//start from the beginning

struct node *ptr = head;

//navigate till the end of the list

printf("\n[ ");

while(ptr != NULL){
printf("(%d,%d) ",ptr->key,ptr->data); ptr
= ptr->next;

printf(" ]");
}

//display the list from last to first void

displayBackward(){

//start from the last

struct node *ptr = last;

//navigate till the start of the list

printf("\n[ ");

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 17 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

while(ptr != NULL){

//print data
printf("(%d,%d) ",ptr->key,ptr->data);

//move to next item

ptr = ptr ->prev;
printf(" ");

printf(" ]");
}

//insert link at the first location void

insertFirst(int key, int data){

//create a link
struct node *link = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
link->key = key; link->data = data;

if(isEmpty()){
//make it the last link
last = link;

}else {
//update first prev link head-
>prev = link;

//point it to old first link link-

>next = head;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 18 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//point first to new first link

head = link;

//insert link at the last location void

insertLast(int key, int data){

//create a link
struct node *link = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
link->key = key; link->data = data;

if(isEmpty()){
//make it the last link
last = link;

}else {
//make link a new last link last-
>next = link;

//mark old last node as prev of new link link-

>prev = last;

//point last to new last node

last = link;

//delete first item struct node*

deleteFirst(){ //save reference
to first link struct node
*tempLink = head;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 19 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//if only one link if(head-

>next == NULL){ last =
NULL; }else { head-
>next->prev = NULL;

head = head->next;
//return the deleted link
return tempLink;

//delete link at the last location

struct node* deleteLast(){
//save reference to last link
struct node *tempLink = last;

//if only one link if(head-

>next == NULL){ head =
NULL; }else { last-
>prev->next = NULL;

last = last->prev;

//return the deleted link

return tempLink;

//delete a link with given key

struct node* delete(int key){

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 20 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//start from the first link

struct node* current = head; struct
node* previous = NULL;

//if list is empty

if(head == NULL){
return NULL;

//navigate through list while(current-

>key != key){

//if it is last node

if(current->next == NULL){
return NULL;

}else {
//store reference to current link
previous = current;

//move to next link current =

current->next;

}
}

//found a match, update the link

if(current == head) {

//change first to point to next link

head = head->next;

}else {
//bypass the current link current->prev-
>next = current->next;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 21 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 22 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 23 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

List (First to Last):

[ (6,56) (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ]

List (Last to first):

[ (1,10) (2,20) (3,30) (4,1) (5,40) (6,56) ] List
, after deleting first record:

[ (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) (1,10) ] List

, after deleting last record:

[ (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) ] List

, insert after key(4) :

[ (5,40) (4,1) (4,13) (3,30) (2,20) ] List

, after delete key(4) :

[ (5,40) (4,13) (3,30) (2,20) ]

Data Structures & Algorithms

Circular Linked List

Circular Linked List is a variation of Linked list in which the first element points to the last
element and the last element points to the first element. Both Singly Linked List and Doubly
Linked List can be made into a circular linked list.

Singly Linked List as Circular

In singly linked list, the next pointer of the last node points to the first node.

Doubly Linked List as Circular

In doubly linked list, the next pointer of the last node points to the first node and the previous
pointer of the first node points to the last node making the circular in both directions.

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 24 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

As per the above illustration, following are the important points to be considered.

• The last link's next points to the first link of the list in both cases of singly as well as
doubly linked list.

• The first link's previous points to the last of the list in case of doubly linked list.

Basic Operations

Following are the important operations supported by a circular list.

• insert − Inserts an element at the start of the list.

• delete – Deletes an element from the start of the list.

• display − Displays the list.

Insertion Operation

Following code demonstrates the insertion operation in a circular linked list based on single
linked list.
//insert link at the first location
void insertFirst(int key, int data) {

//create a link
struct node *link = (struct node*)
malloc(sizeof(struct node)); link-
>key = key; link->data= data;

if (isEmpty()) {
head = link; head-
>next = head;

}else {
//point it to old first node
link->next = head;

//point first to new first node

head = link;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 25 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

}
Deletion Operation

Following code demonstrates the deletion operation in a circular linked list based on single
linked list.
//delete first item struct node *
deleteFirst() { //save
reference to first link struct
node *tempLink = head;

if(head->next == head){
head = NULL; return
tempLink;

Display List Operation

Following code demonstrates the display list operation in a circular linked list.
//display the list void
printList() { struct node
*ptr = head; printf("\n[
");

//start from the beginning

if(head != NULL) {

while(ptr->next != ptr) {
printf("(%d,%d) ",ptr->key,ptr->data);
ptr = ptr->next;

}
}

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 26 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

printf(" ]");
}
Circular Linked List Program in C

Circular Linked List is a variation of Linked list in which the first element points to the last
element and the last element points to the first element. Both Singly Linked List and Doubly
Linked List can be made into a circular linked list.

Implementation in C
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdbool.h>

struct node {
int data; int
key;

struct node *next;

};

struct node *head = NULL; struct

node *current = NULL;

bool isEmpty(){
return head == NULL;

int length(){
int length = 0;

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 27 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//if list is empty

if(head == NULL){
return 0;

current = head->next;

while(current != head){
length++;

current = current->next;
}

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 28 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

//mark next to first link as first

head = head->next;

//return the deleted link

return tempLink;
}

//display the list

void printList(){

struct node *ptr = head;

printf("\n[ ");

//start from the beginning

if(head != NULL){

while(ptr->next != ptr){
printf("(%d,%d) ",ptr->key,ptr->data);
ptr = ptr->next;
}

printf(" ]");
}

main() {

insertFirst(1,10);
insertFirst(2,20);
insertFirst(3,30);
insertFirst(4,1);
insertFirst(5,40);
insertFirst(6,56);

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 29 of 30

Data Structure and Algorithm

printf("Original List: ");

//print list
printList();

while(!isEmpty()){
struct node *temp = deleteFirst();
printf("\nDeleted value:");

printf("(%d,%d) ",temp->key,temp->data);
}

printf("\nList after deleting all items: ");

printList();

If we compile and run the above program, it will produce the following result −
Original List:
[ (6,56) (5,40) (4,1) (3,30) (2,20) ]
Deleted value:(6,56)
Deleted value:(5,40) Deleted
value:(4,1)

Deleted value:(3,30)
Deleted value:(2,20)
Deleted value:(1,10)
List after deleting all items:
[ ]

Prepared by : worku w. Unity U Page 30 of 30