Linked List Flashcards
A ______ is a fundamental data structure in computer science. It consists of nodes
where each node contains _______ and ______ to the next node in the
sequence.
linked list
data and a reference (link)
Linked Lists allows for ________ and efficient insertion and
deletion operations compared to arrays
dynamic memory allocation
insertion
A linked list is a _________ that stores a collection of data elements
_______.
linear data structure
dynamically.
_______ represent those data elements, and ________ connect each node.
nodes
links or pointers
Each node consists of two fields, the ____________ and a pointer that
stores the address of its next node.
information stored in a linked list
The last node contains _____ in its second field because it will point to no node
null
A linked list can ______ and _____ its size, as per the requirement.
grow and shrink
In the linked list there is a ______, which points to the first element of the linked list,
and if the list is empty then it simply points to ______
head pointer
null or nothing.
Advantages of Linked Lists
Dynamic size
Efficient Insertion and Deletion
Memory Efficiency
Dynamic size
Linked lists do not have a _______, so you can add or remove elements as needed, without
having to worry about the size of the list. This makes linked lists a great choice when you
need to work with a collection of items whose size can change dynamically.
fixed size
Efficient Insertion and Deletion
Inserting or deleting elements in a linked list is _________, as you only need to modify
the reference of the next node.
fast and efficient
Disadvantages of Linked Lists
Slow Access Time
Pointers
Extra memory required
Slow Access Time: Accessing elements in a linked list can be ______, as you
need to traverse the linked list to find the element you are looking for.
slow
Pointers: Linked lists use _____ to reference the next node, which can make
them more ______ to understand and use compared to arrays. This
complexity can make linked lists more difficult to debug and maintain.
pointers
complex
Extra memory required: Linked lists require an _____ for each node,
which takes up _______. This can be a problem when you are working
with large data sets, as the extra memory required for the pointers can
quickly add up
extra pointer
extra memory