Doubly 

Linked List (DLL)

A Doubly Linked List (DLL) contains an extra pointer, typically called previous pointer, together

with next pointer and data which are there in singly linked list.

Following is representation of a DLL node in C language.

/* Node of a doubly linked list */
struct Node {
    int data;
    struct Node* next; // Pointer to next node in DLL
    struct Node* prev; // Pointer to previous node in DLL
};

Following are advantages/disadvantages of doubly linked list over singly linked list.
1) A DLL can be traversed in both forward and backward direction.

2) The delete operation in DLL is more efficient if pointer to the node to be deleted is given.
3) We can quickly insert a new node before a given node.

In singly linked list, to delete a node, pointer to the previous node is needed. To get this previous node,
sometimes the list is traversed. In DLL, we can get the previous node using previous pointer.

Disadvantages over singly linked list

1) Every node of DLL Require extra space for an previous pointer. It is possible to implement DLL with single
pointer though
2) All operations require an extra pointer previous to be maintained. For example, in insertion, we need to modify
previous pointers together with next pointers. For example in following functions for insertions at different
positions, we need 1 or 2 extra steps to set previous pointer.

Insertion
A node can be added in four ways
1) At the front of the DLL
2) After a given node.
3) At the end of the DLL
4) Before a given node.

1) Add a node at the front: (A 5 steps process)

The new node is always added before the head of the given Linked List. And newly added node becomes
the new head of DLL. For example if the given Linked List is 10152025 and we add an item 5 at the front,
then the Linked List becomes 510152025. Let us call the function that adds at the front of the list is push().
The push() must receive a pointer to the head pointer, because push must change the head pointer to point
to the new node (See this)

Following are the 5 steps to add node at the front.

/* Given a reference (pointer to pointer) to the head of a list
   and an int, inserts a new node on the front of the list. */
void push(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)
{
    /* 1. allocate node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    /* 2. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 3. Make next of new node as head and previous as NULL */
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);
    new_node->prev = NULL;
 
    /* 4. change prev of head node to new node */
    if ((*head_ref) != NULL)
        (*head_ref)->prev = new_node;
 
    /* 5. move the head to point to the new node */
    (*head_ref) = new_node;
}
Four steps of the above five steps are same as the 4 steps used for inserting at the front in singly linked list. The only
extra step is to change previous of head.

2) Add a node after a given node.: (A 7 steps process)

We are given pointer to a node as prev_node, and the new node is inserted after the given node

/* Given a node as prev_node, insert a new node after the given

node */
void insertAfter(struct Node* prev_node, int new_data)
{
    /*1. check if the given prev_node is NULL */
    if (prev_node == NULL) {
        printf("the given previous node cannot be NULL");
        return;
    }
 
    /* 2. allocate new node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    /* 3. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 4. Make next of new node as next of prev_node */
    new_node->next = prev_node->next;
 
    /* 5. Make the next of prev_node as new_node */
    prev_node->next = new_node;
 
    /* 6. Make prev_node as previous of new_node */
    new_node->prev = prev_node;
 
    /* 7. Change previous of new_node's next node */
    if (new_node->next != NULL)
        new_node->next->prev = new_node;
}
Five of the above steps step process are same as the 5 steps used for inserting after a given node in singly linked list.
The two extra steps are needed to change previous pointer of new node and previous pointer of new node’s next
node.
3) Add a node at the end:
(7 steps process)

The new node is always added after the last node of the given Linked List.
For example if the given DLL is 510152025 and we add an item 30 at the end, then the DLL becomes 51015202530.
Since a Linked List is typically represented by the head of it, we have to traverse the list till end and then change the
next of last node to new node.

Following are the 7 steps to add node at the end.

/* Given a reference (pointer to pointer) to the head

   of a DLL and an int, appends a new node at the end  */

void append(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)

{
    /* 1. allocate node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    struct Node* last = *head_ref; /* used in step 5*/
 
    /* 2. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 3. This new node is going to be the last node, so
          make next of it as NULL*/
    new_node->next = NULL;
 
    /* 4. If the Linked List is empty, then make the new
          node as head */
    if (*head_ref == NULL) {
        new_node->prev = NULL;
        *head_ref = new_node;
        return;
    }
 
    /* 5. Else traverse till the last node */
    while (last->next != NULL)
        last = last->next;
 
    /* 6. Change the next of last node */
    last->next = new_node;
 
    /* 7. Make last node as previous of new node */
    new_node->prev = last;
 
    return;
}

Six of the above 7 steps are same as the 6 steps used for inserting after a given node in singly linked list. The one
extra step is needed to change previous pointer of new node.
4)Add a node before a given node:

steps:
Let the pointer to this given node be next_node and the data of the new node to be
added as new_data.

1. Check if the next_node is NULL or not. If it’s NULL, return from the function because any new node can
not be added before a NULL
2. Allocate memory for the new node, let it be called new_node
3. Set new_node->data = new_data
4. Set the previous pointer of this new_node as the previous node of the next_node, new_node->prev =
next_node->prev
5. Set the previous pointer of the next_node as the new_node, next_node->prev = new_node
6. Set the next pointer of this new_node as the next_node, new_node->next = next_node;
7. If the previous node of the new_node is not NULL, then set the next pointer of this previous node as
new_node, new_node->prev->next = new_node

Below is the implementaton of the above approach:

// A complete working C program to demonstrate all
// insertion before a given node
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
 
// A linked list node
struct Node {
    int data;
    struct Node* next;
    struct Node* prev;
};
 
/* Given a reference (pointer to pointer) to the head of a list
and an int, inserts a new node on the front of the list. */

void push(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)

{
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);
    new_node->prev = NULL;
 
    if ((*head_ref) != NULL)
        (*head_ref)->prev = new_node;
 
    (*head_ref) = new_node;
}
 
/* Given a node as next_node, insert a new node before the given
node */

void insertBefore(struct Node* next_node, int new_data)

{
    /*1. check if the given new_node is NULL */
    if (next_node == NULL) {
        printf("the given next node cannot be NULL");
        return;
    }
 
    /* 2. allocate new node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    /* 3. put in the data */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 4. Make prev of new node as prev of next_node */
    new_node->prev = next_node->prev;
 
    /* 5. Make the prev of next_node as new_node */
    next_node->prev = new_node;
 
    /* 6. Make next_node as next of new_node */
    new_node->next = next_node;
 
    /* 7. Change next of new_node's previous node */
    if (new_node->prev != NULL)
        new_node->prev->next = new_node;
}
 
// This function prints contents of linked list starting from the
given node

void printList(struct Node* node)

{
    struct Node* last;
    printf("\nTraversal in forward direction \n");
    while (node != NULL) {
        printf(" %d ", node->data);
        last = node;
        node = node->next;
    }
 
    printf("\nTraversal in reverse direction \n");
    while (last != NULL) {
        printf(" %d ", last->data);
        last = last->prev;
    }
}
 
/* Driver program to test above functions*/
int main()
{
    /* Start with the empty list */
    struct Node* head = NULL;
    push(&head, 7);
 
    push(&head, 1);
 
    push(&head, 4);
 
    // Insert 8, before 1. So linked list becomes 4->8->1->7->NULL
    insertBefore(head->next, 8);
 
    printf("Created DLL is: ");
    printList(head);
 
    getchar();
    return 0;
}
 Output:
Created DLL is:
Traversal in forward direction
4 8 1 7
Traversal in reverse direction
7 1 8 4

// A complete working C program to demonstrate all insertion

methods
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
 
// A linked list node
struct Node {
    int data;
    struct Node* next;
    struct Node* prev;
};
 
/* Given a reference (pointer to pointer) to the head of a list
   and an int, inserts a new node on the front of the list. */
void push(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)
{
    /* 1. allocate node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    /* 2. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 3. Make next of new node as head and previous as NULL */
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);
    new_node->prev = NULL;
 
    /* 4. change prev of head node to new node */
    if ((*head_ref) != NULL)
        (*head_ref)->prev = new_node;
 
    /* 5. move the head to point to the new node */
    (*head_ref) = new_node;
}
 
/* Given a node as prev_node, insert a new node after the given
node */
void insertAfter(struct Node* prev_node, int new_data)
{
    /*1. check if the given prev_node is NULL */
    if (prev_node == NULL) {
        printf("the given previous node cannot be NULL");
        return;
    }
 
    /* 2. allocate new node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    /* 3. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 4. Make next of new node as next of prev_node */
    new_node->next = prev_node->next;
 
    /* 5. Make the next of prev_node as new_node */
    prev_node->next = new_node;
 
    /* 6. Make prev_node as previous of new_node */
    new_node->prev = prev_node;
 
    /* 7. Change previous of new_node's next node */
    if (new_node->next != NULL)
        new_node->next->prev = new_node;
}
 
/* Given a reference (pointer to pointer) to the head
   of a DLL and an int, appends a new node at the end  */
void append(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)
{
    /* 1. allocate node */
    struct Node* new_node = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct
Node));
 
    struct Node* last = *head_ref; /* used in step 5*/
 
    /* 2. put in the data  */
    new_node->data = new_data;
 
    /* 3. This new node is going to be the last node, so
          make next of it as NULL*/
    new_node->next = NULL;
 
    /* 4. If the Linked List is empty, then make the new
          node as head */
    if (*head_ref == NULL) {
        new_node->prev = NULL;
        *head_ref = new_node;
        return;
    }
 
    /* 5. Else traverse till the last node */
    while (last->next != NULL)
        last = last->next;
 
    /* 6. Change the next of last node */
    last->next = new_node;
 
    /* 7. Make last node as previous of new node */
    new_node->prev = last;
 
    return;
}
 
// This function prints contents of linked list starting from the
given node
void printList(struct Node* node)
{
    struct Node* last;
    printf("\nTraversal in forward direction \n");
    while (node != NULL) {
        printf(" %d ", node->data);
        last = node;
        node = node->next;
    }
 
    printf("\nTraversal in reverse direction \n");
    while (last != NULL) {
        printf(" %d ", last->data);
        last = last->prev;
    }
}
 
/* Drier program to test above functions*/
int main()
{
    /* Start with the empty list */
    struct Node* head = NULL;
 
    // Insert 6.  So linked list becomes 6->NULL
    append(&head, 6);
 
    // Insert 7 at the beginning. So linked list becomes 7->6-
>NULL
    push(&head, 7);
 
    // Insert 1 at the beginning. So linked list becomes 1->7->6-
>NULL
    push(&head, 1);
 
    // Insert 4 at the end. So linked list becomes 1->7->6->4-
>NULL
    append(&head, 4);
 
    // Insert 8, after 7. So linked list becomes 1->7->8->6->4-
>NULL
    insertAfter(head->next, 8);
 
    printf("Created DLL is: ");
    printList(head);
 
    getchar();
    return 0;
}

Output:
Created DLL is:
Traversal in forward direction
1 7 8 6 4
Traversal in reverse direction
4 6 8 7 1

Delete a node in a Doubly Linked List

Doubly Link List Set 1| Introduction and Insertion

Write a function to delete a given node in a doubly linked list.

(a) Original Doubly Linked List

(a) After deletion of head node

 

(a) After deletion of middle node

(a) After deletion of last node

Algorithm
Let the node to be deleted is del.
1) If node to be deleted is head node, then change the head pointer to next current head.
2) Set next of previous to del, if previous to del exixts.
3) Set prev of next to del, if next to del exixts.
#include <stdio.h>

#include <stdlib.h>

/* a node of the doubly linked list */

struct Node

  int data;

  struct Node *next;

  struct Node *prev;

};

/* Function to delete a node in a Doubly Linked List.

   head_ref --> pointer to head node pointer.

   del  -->  pointer to node to be deleted. */

void deleteNode(struct Node **head_ref, struct Node *del)

  /* base case */

  if(*head_ref == NULL || del == NULL)

    return;

  /* If node to be deleted is head node */

  if(*head_ref == del)

    *head_ref = del->next;

  /* Change next only if node to be deleted is NOT the last

node */

  if(del->next != NULL)
    del->next->prev = del->prev;

  /* Change prev only if node to be deleted is NOT the first

node */

  if(del->prev != NULL)

    del->prev->next = del->next;    

  /* Finally, free the memory occupied by del*/

  free(del);

  return;

}    

/* UTILITY FUNCTIONS */

/* Function to insert a node at the beginning of the Doubly

Linked List */

void push(struct Node** head_ref, int new_data)

  /* allocate node */

  struct Node* new_node =

       (struct Node*) malloc(sizeof(struct Node));

  /* put in the data  */

  new_node->data  = new_data;

  /* since we are adding at the begining,

    prev is always NULL */

  new_node->prev = NULL;

  /* link the old list off the new node */

  new_node->next = (*head_ref);   

  /* change prev of head node to new node */

  if((*head_ref) !=  NULL)

   (*head_ref)->prev = new_node ;   

  /* move the head to point to the new node */

   (*head_ref)    = new_node;

/* Function to print nodes in a given doubly linked list

   This function is same as printList() of singly linked lsit

*/

void printList(struct Node *node)

  while(node!=NULL)

  {

   printf("%d ", node->data);

   node = node->next;

  }

/* Drier program to test above functions*/

int main()

  /* Start with the empty list */

  struct Node* head = NULL;

  /* Let us create the doubly linked list 10<->8<->4<->2 */

  push(&head, 2);

  push(&head, 4);

  push(&head, 8);

  push(&head, 10);

  printf("\n Original Linked list ");

  printList(head);

  /* delete nodes from the doubly linked list */

  deleteNode(&head, head);  /*delete first node*/

  deleteNode(&head, head->next);  /*delete middle node*/

  deleteNode(&head, head->next);  /*delete last node*/

  /* Modified linked list will be NULL<-8->NULL */

  printf("\n Modified Linked list ");

  printList(head);          

  getchar();