[Blog 007] Data Structures: Linked List Introduction

Hello there! Today, I would like to introduce you to one of the most fundamental data structures in computer science - linked list. In this blog, I will go over what linked lists are, how they work, and some common use cases.

A linked list is a linear data structure that stores elements in a non-contiguous manner. Instead of having the data stored in a single block of memory, each element in a linked list is stored in its own separate node. Each node holds the data and a reference (pointer) to the next node in the list.

One of the key advantages of linked lists is their dynamic size. Unlike arrays, which have a fixed size, linked lists can grow and shrink dynamically as elements are added or removed. This makes linked lists ideal for use cases where the size of the data is not known beforehand or when it is expected to change frequently.

Another advantage of linked lists is their ease of insertion and deletion. Adding or removing an element from an array requires moving all the elements after it, but in a linked list, only the pointers of the adjacent nodes need to be updated, making insertion and deletion operations very efficient.

Let's take a look at some common use cases for linked lists.

1. Implementing Stacks and Queues - linked lists can be used to implement both stacks and queues, which are two important data structures used in computer science.

2. Implementing Dynamic Arrays - linked lists can be used to implement dynamic arrays, which are arrays that can grow or shrink in size dynamically.

3. Implementing Hash Tables - linked lists can be used to implement hash tables, which are data structures used for efficient look-up operations.

In conclusion, linked lists are a versatile and efficient data structure that are widely used in computer science. Whether you are implementing stacks, queues, dynamic arrays, or hash tables, linked lists are a useful tool to have in your arsenal.

I hope this blog was helpful in introducing you to linked lists and their uses. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, don't hesitate to reach out!