Data Structures Using

C, 2e

Reema Thareja

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 Chapter 6

Linked Lists

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 Introduction
• A linked list is a linear collection of data elements called nodes in which linear representation is given by links
from one node to the next node.
• Linked list is a data structure which in turn can be used to implement other data structures. Thus, it acts as
building block to implement data structures like stacks, queues and their variations.
• A linked list can be perceived as a train or a sequence of nodes in which each node contains one or more data
fields and a pointer to the next node.

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 Simple Linked List
START

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 X

• In the above linked list, every node contains two parts - one
integer and the other a pointer to the next node.
• The left part of the node which contains data may include a
simple data type, an array or a structure.
• The right part of the node contains a pointer to the next node (or
address of the next node in sequence).
• The last node will have no next node connected to it, so it will
store a special value called NULL.
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 Traversing Linked Lists
• We can traverse the entire linked list using a single pointer
variable called START.
• The START node contains the address of the first node; the next
part of the first node in turn stores the address of its succeeding
node.
• Using this technique the individual nodes of the list will form a
chain of nodes.
• If START = NULL, this means that the linked list is empty and
contains no nodes.
• In C, we can implement a linked list using the following code:
struct node
{
int data;
struct node *next;
};
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 START Pointer
START
NEXT
1 DATA
1 H 4

2
START pointing to
the first element of 3
the linked list in 4 E 7

memory 5

AVAIL 6
9 7 L 8

L 10
8
9
10 O -1

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 Singly Linked Lists
• A singly linked list is the simplest type of linked list in which
every node contains some data and a pointer to the next node
of the same data type.

START

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 X

ALGORITHM FOR TRAVERSING A LINKED LIST

Step 1: [INITIALIZE] SET PTR = START

Step 2: Repeat Steps 3 and 4 while PTR != NULL
Step 3: Apply Process to PTR->DATA
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: EXIT

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 Searching a Linked List

ALGORITHM TO SEARCH A LINKED LIST

Step 1: [INITIALIZE] SET PTR = START

Step 2: Repeat Step 3 while PTR != NULL
Step 3: IF VAL = PTR->DATA
SET POS = PTR
Go To Step 5
ELSE
SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF IF]
[END OF LOOP]
Step 4: SET POS = NULL
Step 5: EXIT

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Searching for Val 4 in Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

PTR

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Inserting a Node at the Beginning
1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START

9 1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START

ALGORITHM TO INSERT A NEW NODE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE LINKED LIST

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 7
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->Next = START
Step 6: SET START = New_Node
Step 7: EXIT

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 Inserting a Node at the End
1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 9 X

START

ALGORITHM TO INSERT A NEW NODE AT THE END OF THE LINKED LIST

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 10
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->Next = NULL
Step 6: SET PTR = START
Step 7: Repeat Step 8 while PTR->NEXT != NULL
Step 8: SET PTR = PTR ->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 9: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 10: EXIT

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Inserting a Node after Node that has Value NUM

ALGORITHM TO INSERT A NEW NODE AFTER A NODE THAT HAS VALUE NUM

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 12
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET PTR = START
Step 6: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 7: Repeat Steps 8 and 9 while PREPTR->DATA != NUM
Step 8: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 9: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 10: PREPTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 11: SET New_Node->NEXT = PTR
Step 12: EXIT

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 Deleting the First Node
Algorithm to delete the first node from the linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 5
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: SET START = START->NEXT
Step 4: FREE PTR
Step 5: EXIT

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START

7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START

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 Deleting the Last Node
ALGORITHM TO DELETE THE LAST NODE OF THE LINKED LIST

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Steps 4 and 5 while PTR->NEXT != NULL
Step 4: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 5: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 6: SET PREPTR->NEXT = NULL
Step 7: FREE PTR
Step 8: EXIT

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START, PREPTR, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 X 5 X

PREPTR PTR
START
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Deleting the Node After a Given Node

ALGORITHM TO DELETE THE NODE AFTER A GIVEN NODE FROM THE LINKED LIST

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 10
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 4: Repeat Step 5 and 6 while PRETR->DATA != NUM
Step 5: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 6: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step7: SET TEMP = PTR->NEXT
Step 8: SET PREPTR->NEXT = TEMP->NEXT
Step 9: FREE TEMP
Step 10: EXIT

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 Singly Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START, PREPTR, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X

START PREPTR PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 X
START

1 7 3 4 6 5 X

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 Circular Linked List
• In a circular linked list, the last node contains a pointer to the first
node of the list. We can have a circular singly listed list as well as
circular doubly linked list. While traversing a circular linked list, we
can begin at any node and traverse the list in any direction forward
or backward until we reach the same node where we had started.
Thus, a circular linked list has no beginning and no ending.

START

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node in the beginning of circular the linked list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 7
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET PTR = START
Step 6: Repeat Step 7 while PTR->NEXT != START
Step 7: PTR = PTR->NEXT
Step 8: SET New_Node->Next = START
Step 8: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 6: SET START = New_Node
Step 7: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

PTR
START

9 1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node at the end of the circular linked list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 7
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->Next = START
Step 6: SET PTR = START
Step 7: Repeat Step 8 while PTR->NEXT != START
Step 8: SET PTR = PTR ->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 9: SET PTR ->NEXT = New_Node
Step 10: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5 9

START PTR

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node after a node that has value NUM

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 12
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET PTR = START
Step 6: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 7: Repeat Step 8 and 9 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 8: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 9: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 10: PREPTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 11: SET New_Node->NEXT = PTR
Step 12: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to delete the first node from the circular linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 while PTR->NEXT != START
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF IF]
Step 5: SET PTR->NEXT = START->NEXT
Step 6: FREE START
Step 7: SET START = PTR->NEXT
Step 8: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5
START, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

PTR
START

7 3 4 2 6 5

START

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to delete the last node of the circular linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 while PTR->NEXT != START
Step 4: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 5: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 6: SET PREPTR->NEXT = START
Step 7: FREE PTR
Step 8: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START, PREPTR, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

PREPTR
PTR
START

1 7 3 4 2 6

START

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 Circular Linked List

Algorithm to delete the node after a given node from the circular linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 9
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 4: Repeat Step 5 and 6 while PREPTR->DATA != NUM
Step 5: SET PREPTR = PTR
Step 6: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 7: SET PREPTR->NEXT = PTR->NEXT
Step 8: FREE PTR
Step 9: EXIT

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 Circular Linked List

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START, PREPTR, PTR

1 7 3 4 2 6 5

START PREPTR PTR

1 7 3 4 6 5

START

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 Doubly Linked List
 A doubly linked list or a two way linked list is a more complex type of linked
list which contains a pointer to the next as well as previous node in the
sequence. Therefore, it consists of three parts and not just two. The three
parts are data, a pointer to the next node and a pointer to the previous node

START

X 1 1 2 3 4 X

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 Doubly Linked List
• In C language, the structure of a doubly linked list is given as,
struct node
{ struct node *prev;
int data;
struct node *next;
};

• The prev field of the first node and the next field of the last
node will contain NULL. The prev field is used to store the
address of the preceding node. This would enable to
traverse the list in the backward direction as well.

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 Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to insert a new node in the beginning of the doubly linked list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->PREV = NULL
Step 6: SET New_Node->Next = START
Step 7: SET START = New_Node
Step 8: EXIT

X 1 7 3 4 2 X

START

X 9 1 7 3 4 2 X

START

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 Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to insert a new node at the end of the doubly linked list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 11
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->Next = NULL
Step 6: SET PTR = START
Step 7: Repeat Step 8 while PTR->NEXT != NULL
Step 8: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 9: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 10: New_Node->PREV = PTR
Step 11: EXIT

X 1 7 3 4 2 X

START, PTR

X 1 7 3 4 2 9 X
PTR
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 Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node after a node that has value NUM

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 11
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET PTR = START
Step 6: Repeat Step 8 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 7: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 8: New_Node->NEXT = PTR->NEXT
Step 9: SET New_Node->PREV = PTR
Step 10: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 11: EXIT

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 Doubly Linked List

X 1 7 3 4 2 X

START, PTR

X 1 7 3 4 2 X

START PTR
9

X 1 7 3 9 4 2 X

START

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 Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to delete the first node from the doubly linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 6
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: SET START = START->NEXT
Step 4: SET START->PREV = NULL
Step 5: FREE PTR
Step 6: EXIT

X 1 7 3 4 2 X

START, PTR

7 3 4 2 X

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 Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to delete the last node of the doubly linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 7
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 and 5 while PTR->NEXT != NULL
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: SET PTR->PREV->NEXT = NULL
Step 6: FREE PTR
Step 7: EXIT

3 9
X 1 5 7 8 1 X

START, PTR

3 9
X 1 5 7 8 1 X

START PTR

3
X 1 5 7 8 X

START

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 Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to delete the node after a given node from the doubly linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 9
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: SET TEMP = PTR->NEXT
Step 6: SET PTR->NEXT = TEMP->NEXT
Step 7: SET TEMP->NEXT->PREV = PTR
Step 8: FREE TEMP
Step 9: EXIT

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 Doubly Linked List

3 9
X 1 4 7 8 1 X

START, PTR

3 9
X 1 4 7 8 1 X

START
PTR

3
X 1 4 8 9 X

START

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 Circular Doubly Linked List
• A circular doubly linked list or a circular two way linked list is a more complex type
of linked list which contains a pointer to the next as well as previous node in the
sequence.

• The difference between a doubly linked and a circular doubly linked list is same as
that exists between a singly linked list and a circular linked list. The circular doubly
linked list does not contain NULL in the previous field of the first node and the
next field of the last node. Rather, the next field of the last node stores the
address of the first node of the list, i.e; START. Similarly, the previous field of the
first field stores the address of the last node.

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 Circular Doubly Linked List
• Since a circular doubly linked list contains three parts in its structure, it
calls for more space per node and for more expensive basic operations.
However, it provides the ease to manipulate the elements of the list as it
maintains pointers to nodes in both the directions . The main advantage
of using a circular doubly linked list is that it makes searches twice as
efficient.

START

1 1 2 3 4

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node in the beginning of the circular doubly

linked list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 12
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 6: SET START->PREV->NEXT = new_node;
Step 7: SET New_Node->PREV = START->PREV;
Step 8: SET START->PREV= new_Node;
Step 9: SET new_node->next = START;
Step 10: SET START = New_Node
Step 11: EXIT

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Circular Doubly Linked List

1 7 3 4 2

START

9 1 7 3 4 2

START

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Circular Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to insert a new node at the end of the circular doubly linked
list

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 11
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET New_Node->Next = START
Step 6: SET New_Node->PREV = START->PREV
Step 7: EXIT

1 7 3 4 2

START

1 7 3 4 2 9

START

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node after a node that has value NUM

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 11
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 5: SET PTR = START
Step 6: Repeat Step 8 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 7: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 8: New_Node->NEXT = PTR->NEXT
Step 9: SET PTR->NEXT->PREV = New_Node
Step 9: SET New_Node->PREV = PTR
Step 10: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 11: EXIT

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 Circular Doubly Linked List

1 7 3 4 2

START, PTR

1 7 3 4 2

PTR

START 9
1 7 3 9 4 2

START

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to delete the first node from the circular doubly linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: SET PTR->PREV=>NEXT= PTR->NEXT
Step 4: SET PTR->NEXT->PREV = PTR->PREV
Step 5: SET START = START->NEXT
Step 6: FREE PTR
Step 7: EXIT

3 9
1 5 7 8 1

START, PTR

3 9
5 7 8 1

START

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 Circular Doubly Linked List
Algorithm to delete the last node of the circular doubly linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 8
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START->PREV
Step 5: SET PTR->PREV->NEXT = START
Step 6: SET START->PREV = PTR->PREV
Step 7: FREE PTR
Step 8: EXIT

3 9
1 5 7 8 1

START PTR

3
X 1 5 7 8

START

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 Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to delete the node after a given node from the circular doubly
linked list

Step 1: IF START = NULL, then

Write UNDERFLOW
Go to Step 9
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET PTR = START
Step 3: Repeat Step 4 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: SET TEMP = PTR->NEXT
Step 6: SET PTR->NEXT = TEMP->NEXT
Step 7: SET TEMP->NEXT->PREV = PTR
Step 8: FREE TEMP
Step 9: EXIT

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Circular Doubly Linked List

3 9
1 5 7 8 1

START

3 9
1 5 7 8 1

START PTR

3
1 4 8 9

START

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 Circular Doubly Linked List
 A header linked list is a special type of linked list which contains a header node
at the beginning of the list. So, in a header linked list START will not point to the
first node of the list but START will contain the address of the header node.
There are basically two variants of a header linked list-

 Grounded header linked list which stores NULL in the next field of the last node

 Circular header linked list which stores the address of the header node in the
next field of the last node. Here, the header node will denote the end of the list.

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Header Node
4
1 2 3 5 6 X

START
Header Node
4
1 2 3 5 6

START

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to traverse a Circular Header Linked List

Step 1: SET PTR = START->NEXT

Step 2: Repeat Steps 3 and 4 while PTR != START
Step 3: Apply PROCESS to PTR->DATA
Step 4: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 5: EXIT

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Circular Doubly Linked List

Algorithm to insert a new node after a given node

Step 1: IF AVAIL = NULL, then

Write OVERFLOW
Go to Step 10
[END OF IF]
Step 2: SET New_Node = AVAIL
Step 3: SET AVAIL = AVAIL->NEXT
Step 4: SET PTR = START->NEXT
Step 5: SET New_Node->DATA = VAL
Step 6: Repeat step 4 while PTR->DATA != NUM
Step 7: SET PTR = PTR->NEXT
[END OF LOOP]
Step 8: New_Node->NEXT = PTR->NEXT
Step 9: SET PTR->NEXT = New_Node
Step 10: EXIT

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