Introduction

A linked list is a data structure that consists of a sequence of nodes, where each node contains a
reference to the next node in the sequence. In Java, you can implement a linked list using classes
and references.

Here are some important points to keep in mind when working with linked lists in Java:

1. Each node in a linked list should be represented by a class. The class should have a data
field that holds the value of the node and a reference field that holds a reference to the next
node in the list.
2. The first node in a linked list is called the head. To create a new linked list, you need to
create a new head node and set its reference to null.
3. To add a new node to the linked list, you need to create a new node object and set its
reference to the current head node. Then, you need to set the new node as the new head
node.
4. To traverse a linked list, you can use a loop that starts at the head node and follows the
reference of each node to the next node in the list until you reach the end of the list (i.e.,
the reference is null).
5. To remove a node from the linked list, you need to find the node that precedes the node to
be removed and update its reference to point to the next node in the list. Then, you can set
the reference of the node to be removed to null.
6. Java provides several built-in classes and interfaces that can be used to implement a linked
list, such as LinkedList, ListIterator, and Iterator. These classes and interfaces provide
additional functionality and can simplify the process of working with linked lists.

Overall, linked lists are a powerful data structure that can be used to implement a wide range of
algorithms and applications. In Java, implementing a linked list requires the use of classes,
references, and careful management of nodes and references.

LinkedList Applications

Linked lists have several applications in computer science and software development. Here are
some of the most common applications of linked lists:

1. Dynamic Data Structures: Linked lists are dynamic data structures, which means that their
size can be changed during runtime. This makes them useful for implementing data
structures that need to be resized frequently, such as stacks, queues, and hash tables.
2. Memory Management: Linked lists are often used for memory management in
programming languages. They allow for dynamic allocation and deallocation of memory,
which can help prevent memory leaks and improve the efficiency of the program.
3. Music and Video Playlists: Linked lists are used in media players to implement playlists.
Each node in the linked list represents a song or a video, and the references between nodes
represent the order of the playlist.
 4. Graphs and Trees: Linked lists can be used to represent graphs and trees. Each node in the
linked list represents a vertex or a node in the graph or tree, and the references between
nodes represent the edges or the parent-child relationships between nodes.
5. Text Editors: Linked lists are used in text editors to implement the undo and redo
functionality. Each node in the linked list represents a change made to the text, and the
references between nodes represent the order of the changes.

Overall, linked lists are a versatile data structure that can be used in a variety of applications. Their
dynamic nature and ability to handle frequent resizing make them a valuable tool in programming
and software development.

Advantages of Linked List

Linked lists have several advantages over other data structures, such as arrays, that make them a
useful tool in software development. Here are some of the advantages of linked lists:

1. Dynamic Size: Linked lists can be resized during runtime, which means that they can grow
or shrink as needed. This makes them useful for implementing data structures that need to
be changed frequently.
2. Efficient Insertion and Deletion: Linked lists provide efficient insertion and deletion
operations because they do not require shifting elements around in memory, as arrays do.
This makes them a good choice for applications that require frequent insertions and
deletions.
3. Flexible Memory Allocation: Linked lists can be used to allocate memory dynamically,
which means that they can be used to manage memory more efficiently. This can help
prevent memory leaks and improve the overall performance of the program.
4. Easy to Implement: Linked lists are easy to implement because they only require a few
basic operations, such as adding, removing, and traversing nodes. This makes them a good
choice for beginner programmers or for prototyping new applications.
5. Versatile: Linked lists can be used to implement a variety of data structures, such as stacks,
queues, and hash tables. This versatility makes them a valuable tool in software
development.

Overall, linked lists are a powerful data structure that provide several advantages over other data
structures. Their dynamic size, efficient insertion and deletion operations, and flexible memory
allocation make them a useful tool in software development.

Disadvantages of Linked List

While linked lists have several advantages over other data structures, they also have some
disadvantages that should be taken into consideration when choosing a data structure for a
particular application. Here are some of the disadvantages of linked lists:

1. Limited Random Access: Unlike arrays, linked lists do not provide constant time random
access to elements. To access a particular element in a linked list, you need to traverse the
list from the beginning or end, which can be time-consuming for large lists.
 2. Memory Overhead: Linked lists require additional memory to store the reference to the
next node, which can increase the overall memory usage of the program. This can be a
disadvantage in applications that have limited memory resources.
3. Lack of Cache Friendliness: Linked lists are not cache-friendly because the nodes can be
scattered throughout memory, which can lead to cache misses and decreased performance.
This can be a disadvantage in applications that require high performance, such as real-time
systems or multimedia applications.
4. More Complex Implementation: Linked lists require a more complex implementation
compared to other data structures, such as arrays. This can be a disadvantage for beginner
programmers or for applications that require a simple implementation.
5. Fragility: Linked lists are more fragile than arrays because a single broken link in the list
can cause the entire list to become unusable. This can be a disadvantage in applications
that require high reliability, such as mission-critical systems.

Overall, linked lists have some disadvantages that should be taken into consideration when
choosing a data structure for a particular application. While they provide several advantages, such
as dynamic size and efficient insertion and deletion operations, their limited random access,
memory overhead, lack of cache-friendliness, more complex implementation, and fragility can be
a disadvantage in some applications.

Singly Linked List Program

public class SinglyLinkedList {

private Node head; // head of the list

// Node class

private static class Node {

int data;

Node next;

Node(int data) {

this.data = data;

next = null;

}
}

// method to insert a new node at the beginning of the list

public void insertAtBeginning(int data) {

Node newNode = new Node(data);

newNode.next = head;

head = newNode;

// method to insert a new node at the end of the list

public void insertAtEnd(int data) {

Node newNode = new Node(data);

if (head == null) {

head = newNode;

return;

Node last = head;

while (last.next != null) {

last = last.next;

}
 last.next = newNode;

// method to delete a node with a given key

public void deleteNode(int key) {

Node temp = head, prev = null;

if (temp != null && temp.data == key) {

head = temp.next;

return;

while (temp != null && temp.data != key) {

prev = temp;

temp = temp.next;

if (temp == null) {

return;

prev.next = temp.next;

}
 // method to print the linked list

public void printList() {

Node currentNode = head;

while (currentNode != null) {

System.out.print(currentNode.data + " ");

currentNode = currentNode.next;

// main method to test the program

public static void main(String[] args) {

SinglyLinkedList list = new SinglyLinkedList();

list.insertAtEnd(1);

list.insertAtBeginning(2);

list.insertAtBeginning(3);

list.insertAtEnd(4);

list.deleteNode(3);

list.printList();