CSC508 Data Structures

Topic 3 : Linked List

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 Recap

 Collection hierarchy
 Array definition
 Array implementation
 ArrayList
 User-defined

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 Topic Structure

 Linked list
 Definition
 Characteristics
 Properties
 LinkedList class
 Linked list operation

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 Learning Outcomes

 At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

 Define the linked list data structure and its characteristics
 Implement built-in LinkedList class
 Define linked list operations

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Linked List Definition

 A list of items, called nodes, in which the order of the

nodes is determined by the address, called the link,
stored in each node.
 a series of connected nodes, where each node is a data structure
 Every node in a linked list has two components:
 one to store relevant information
 one to store address (the link) of next node

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 Linked List Characteristics

 Homogeneous
 Node should be of the same structure.
 Unlimited size
 The node will be created upon addition. No predefined size.
 Sequential Access
 Traversing the linked list starting from first/head node.

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 Linked List Properties

 Address of first node in list stored in separate location,

called the head or first
 Data type of each node depends on the specific
application — kind of data being processed
 Link component of each node is a reference variable
 Data type of this reference variable is node type itself

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 Linked List Properties (cont.)

Value
head 2000
head.info 17
head.link 2800
head.link.info 92

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Linked List Properties (cont.)

 NodeType current = head;

 Copies value of head into current

Value
current 2000
current.info 17
current.link 2800
current.link.info 92
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Linked List Properties (cont.)

 current = current.link;
 Copies value of current.link (2800) into current

Value
current 2800
current.info 92
current.link 1500
current.link.info 63
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Linked List Properties (cont.)

Value
head.link.link 1500
head.link.link.info 63
head.link.link.link 3600
head.link.link.link.info 45
current.link.link 3600
current.link.link.info 45
Runtime
current.link.link.link 0 (that is, NULL)
error
current.link.link.link.info Does not exist
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Linked List Operation

 Create
 Insert element
 Insert at the beginning, Insert at the end, Insert at specified
location
 Remove element
 Remove the first node, Remove the last node, Remove specified
node
 Searching

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 Built-in LinkedList Class

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 LinkedList Class Implementation

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.LinkedList;
Create new
LinkedList object
public class BuiltInLL {

public static void main(String[] args) {

LinkedList<Integer> numList = new LinkedList<Integer>();
Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);
Add new element
as first node
for(int i = 0; i< 3; i++) {
System.out.println("Enter an integer : ");
int number = input.nextInt();
numList.addFirst(number);
}
System.out.println("The list size : " + numList.size());

Get the size of the

linked list
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 LinkedList Class Implementation (cont.)
Accessing the list
element
for (int i = 0; i < numList.size(); i++)
System.out.println(numList.get(i));

numList.removeLast();

Remove the last System.out.println("\nAfter removal");

node for (int i = 0; i < numList.size(); i++)
System.out.println(numList.get(i));

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Linked List Traversal

 Process of visiting and accessing nodes in a linked list

 Needed for the following operation
 Insert at the end of the list, insert at specified location
 Remove last node, remove node at specified location
 Printing the link list
 Check the size
 Search element

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Creating a Linked List

 Define the node structure

class Node{
int data;
data next Node next;
}
 Define the linked list class
class MyLinkedList{
Node head;
int size; Initialize the linked
list attribute
MyLinkedList(){
head = null;
size = 0;
}

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Insert node

 Insert at the beginning

Create and populate
public void insertFirst(int x) { the new node
Node newNode = new Node();
newNode.data = x;
newNode.next = head;
head = newNode; Link head to the
size++; new node
}

Update the size

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 Insert node (cont.)

 Insert at the end public void insertLast (int x) {

if (head == null)
If the list is empty, always insertFirst(x);
insert as first element else {
Node newNode = new Node();
Create and populate newNode.data = x;
the new node newNode.next = null;
Node temp = head; Reference variable
for traversal
Traverse until the while (temp.next != null)
last node temp = temp.next;
temp.next = newNode;
size++;
}
} Update the size
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Printing linked list

Check whether
list is empty
public void printLL() {
if (head == null)
System.out.println("List is empty"); Reference variable
else { for traversal
Node temp = head;
while (temp != null) {
System.out.println(temp.data);
temp = temp.next;
}
}
}

Traverse until the

Print data on
end of the list
every node visit
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Testing - 1

public class Main {

public static void main(String[] args) {

MyLinkedList LL1 = new MyLinkedList();
LL1.printLL();
System.out.println("***");
LL1.insertFirst(6);
LL1.insertFirst(8);
LL1.insertLast(3);
LL1.insertLast(5);
LL1.printLL();
}
//continue next

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Remove node

 Remove the first node

Check whether
public void removeFirst() { list is empty
if (head == null)
System.out.println("Empty list");
else {
head = head.next;
size--;
}
}

Update the size Break the link to the

first node and link to
next node
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Remove node (cont.)

 Remove the last node public void removeLast() {

if (head == null)
Check whether System.out.println("Empty list");
list is empty else if (size == 1){
removeFirst();
size--;
Case where there is }
only 1 node in the list else {
Node temp = head;
while (temp.next.next != null)
Traverse until the temp = temp.next;
second last node temp.next = null;
size--;
}
Break the link to }
the last node
Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal
 Testing - 2

//from previous
LL1.removeFirst();
LL1.removeLast();
LL1.printLL();
System.out.println("***");
LL1.removeLast();
LL1.removeLast();
LL1.printLL();
}
}

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Summary

 A list of items, called nodes, in which the order of the

nodes is determined by the address, called the link,
stored in each node.
 Linked list characteristics – Homogeneous, Unlimited side,
Sequential access.
 LinkedList class implementation
 Linked list operation – Create, Insert, Remove, Print

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 Next Topic…

 Linked list variation

 Doubly linked list
 Circular linked list

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal

 References

 Carrano, F. & Savitch, W. 2005. Data Structures and

Abstractions with Java, 2nd ed. Prentice-Hall.
 Malik D.S, & Nair P.S., Data Structures Using Java,
Thomson Course Technology, 2003.
 Rada Mihalcea, CSCE 3110 Data Structures and Algorithm
Analysis notes, U of North Texas.

Compiled & edited by: Zahid Zainal