What is a linked list?

A linked list is a way to store data in a list. It’s like a train of cars, where each car has a piece of data and a pointer to the next car. Linked lists are a type of dynamic data structure, which means that they can grow and shrink as needed.

Linked Lists in JavaScript

Linked lists can be implemented in JavaScript using the LinkedList class. The LinkedList class has methods for adding, removing, and searching for nodes in the list.

Advantages of Linked Lists

Linked lists have several advantages over other data structures, such as arrays.

• Flexibility: Linked lists can grow and shrink as needed, which makes them more flexible than arrays.
• Efficiency: Linked lists can be more efficient for certain operations, such as inserting and deleting elements from the middle of the list.

Disadvantages of Linked Lists

Linked lists also have some disadvantages, such as:

• Space overhead: Linked lists require more space than arrays, because each node in a linked list contains both data and a pointer to the next node.
• Complexity: Linked lists can be more complex to implement than arrays.

Conclusion

Linked lists are a versatile data structure that can be used for a variety of tasks. They are a good choice for applications where flexibility and efficiency are important.

Here is an analogy to help you understand linked lists:

Imagine you have a train of cars. Each car has a piece of data, such as a person’s name. The cars are linked together by a chain, so that each car knows which car comes after it. This is how a linked list works.

The first car in the train is called the head of the list. The last car in the train is called the tail of the list. You can add new cars to the front or back of the train, or you can remove cars from the front or back of the train.

Linked lists are a powerful data structure that can be used for a variety of tasks. They are a good choice for applications where flexibility and efficiency are important.