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LinkedList element() Method in Java

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
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In Java, the element() method of the LinkedList class is used to retrieve the first element in the list without removing it. The first element of the LinkedList is known as the head.

Example 1: Here, we use the element() method to retrieve the first element of the LinkedList of Integers, without removing it.

Java 
// Demonstrate element() method 
// for Integer value 
import java.util.LinkedList;

class Geeks {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        LinkedList<Integer> l = new LinkedList<>();
      
        // Use add() to insert  
        // elements in the list
        l.add(10);
        l.add(20);
        l.add(30);
        System.out.println("" + l);
      
        // getting the head of list 
        // using element() method 
        System.out.println("" + l.element());
    }
}

Output
[10, 20, 30]
10

Syntax of Java LinkedList element() Method

public E element()

Return Value: This method returns the head of the list.

Example 2: Here, element() method throws NoSuchElementException when we try to get the head of an empty LinkedList.

Java 
// Throws Exception
import java.util.LinkedList;
import java.util.NoSuchElementException;

class Geeks {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        LinkedList<String> l = new LinkedList<>();

        l.add("A");
        l.add("B");
        l.add("C");

        System.out.println("" + l);

        // Displaying the head of List
        System.out.println("Head: "
                           + l.element());

        // Remove all elements 
        // from the List
        l.clear();
        try {
            // Try to get the head of 
            // an empty LinkedList
            System.out.println(
                "Head of an Empty Linked List: "
                + l.element());
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            System.out.println("Exception: " + e);
        }
    }
}

Output
[A, B, C]
Head: A
Exception: java.util.NoSuchElementException

R
rohitprasad3
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