UNIT- 3

LINKED LISTS

DYNAMIC MEMORY ALLOCATION, SINGLY LINKED

LIST, DOUBLY LINKED LIST, CIRCULAT LINKED LISTS
DYNAMIC MEMORY ALLOCATION
INTRODUCTION:
• an array is a collection of a fixed number of values. Once the size of an array is declared, the user
cannot change it.
• Sometimes the size of the array may be insufficient. To solve this issue, allocate memory manually
during run-time.
• The concept of dynamic memory allocation in c language enables the C programmer to allocate
memory at runtime.
• Dynamic memory allocation in c language is possible by 4 functions of stdlib.h header file.
malloc()
calloc()
realloc()
free()
Difference between static memory allocation and dynamic
memory allocation.
malloc() function in C
• "malloc" stands for memory allocation.

• The malloc() function allocates single block of requested memory.

• It returns NULL if memory is not sufficient.

• The syntax of malloc() function is given below:

ptr=(cast-type*)malloc(byte-size)
ptr=(int*)malloc(n*sizeof(int));
calloc() function in C

• "calloc" stands for contiguous allocation.

• The calloc() function allocates multiple block of requested memory.
• It returns NULL if memory is not sufficient.
• It initializes each block with a default value ‘0’.
• It has two parameters or arguments as compare to malloc().

The syntax of calloc() function is given below:

ptr=(cast-type*)calloc(number, byte-size);
Example:
ptr = (float*) calloc(25, sizeof(float));

The above statement allocates contiguous space in memory for 25 elements of type float.
Free() :
• Dynamically allocated memory created with either calloc() or malloc() doesn't get
freed on their own.

• You must explicitly use free() to release the space.

Syntax
free(pointervariable);
This statement frees the space allocated in the memory pointed
by pointervariable.
Eg:
free(ptr);
realloc()

• If the dynamically allocated memory is insufficient or more than required, you

can change the size of previously allocated memory using the realloc() function.
Syntax
pointervariable=realloc(pointervariable, new-size) ;

Eg
ptr = (int*) malloc(n1 * sizeof(int));
ptr = realloc(ptr, n2 * sizeof(int));
Drawbacks of sequential data structures
• Inefficient implementation of insertion and deletion operations

- let us consider array A[1:20]. This means a contiguous set of 20 memory locations has been made
available to accommodate the data elements of A. to insert a new element in the specific location, it
is not possible to do so without affecting the neighboring data elements from their positions.

- Methods such as making use of a temporary array B to hold the data elements of A with inserted
element at the appropriate position then copying B into A- extensive data movement which is
computationally expensive.

- Similarly, for deletion

• Inefficient use of storage memory

- The need for allotting contiguous memory locations for every array declaration is bound to leave

fragments of free memory space unworthy of allotment for future requests.

Merits of Linked data structures
• Efficient implementation of insertion and deletion operations. Unlike sequential data
structures, there is the complete absence of data movement of neighboring elements during the
execution of these operations.

• Efficient use of storage memory. The operation and management of linked data structures are
less prone to create memory fragmentation.

A linked representation of data structure known as a linked list is a collection of nodes. Each node
is a collection of fields categorized as data items and links.

The data item fields hold the information content or data to be represented by the node.

The link fields hold the addresses of the neighboring nodes.

What is Linked List?
The linked list is a linear data structure that contains a sequence of elements such that each element links
to its next element in the sequence. Each element in a linked list is called "Node".
What is Single Linked List?
Single linked list is a sequence of elements in which every element has link to its next element
in the sequence.
Operations on Single Linked List
The following operations are performed on a Single Linked List
• Insertion
• Deletion
• Display
Before we implement actual operations, first we need to set up an empty list. First, perform the
following steps before implementing actual operations.
Step 1 - Include all the header files which are used in the program.
Step 2 - Declare all the user defined functions.
Step 3 - Define a Node structure with two members data and next
Step 4 - Define a Node pointer 'head' and set it to NULL.
Step 5 - Implement the main method by displaying the operations menu and make suitable function
calls in the main method to perform user selected operations.
Insertion
In a single linked list, the insertion operation can be performed in three ways. They are as
follows...
1.Inserting At Beginning of the list
2.Inserting At End of the list
3.Inserting At Specific location in the list
Inserting At Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at beginning of the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set newNode→next = NULL and head = newNode.
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, set newNode→next = head and head = newNode.
Inserting At End of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at end of the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value and newNode → next as NULL.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL).
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode.
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the last node in the list
(until temp → next is equal to NULL).
•Step 6 - Set temp → next = newNode.
Inserting At Specific location in the list (After a Node)
We can use the following steps to insert a new node after a node in the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set newNode → next = NULL and head = newNode.
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the node after which we want to insert
the newNode (until temp1 → data is equal to location, here location is the node value after which we want
to insert the newNode).
•Step 6 - Every time check whether temp is reached to last node or not. If it is reached to last node then
display 'Given node is not found in the list!!! Insertion not possible!!!' and terminate the function.
Otherwise move the temp to next node.
•Step 7 - Finally, Set 'newNode → next = temp → next' and 'temp → next = newNode'
Deletion
In a single linked list, the deletion operation can be performed in three ways. They are as follows...
1.Deleting from Beginning of the list
2.Deleting from End of the list
3.Deleting a Specific Node
Deleting from Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from beginning of the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list is having only one node (temp → next == NULL)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE then set head = NULL and delete temp (Setting Empty list conditions)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE then set head = temp → next, and delete temp.
Deleting from End of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from end
of the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the
function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and initialize 'temp1'
with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list has only one Node (temp1 → next == NULL)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE. Then, set head = NULL and delete temp1. And terminate the function.
(Setting Empty list condition)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE. Then, set 'temp2 = temp1 ' and move temp1 to its next node. Repeat the
same until it reaches to the last node in the list. (until temp1 → next == NULL)
•Step 7 - Finally, Set temp2 → next = NULL and delete temp1.
Deleting a Specific Node from the list
We can use the following steps to delete a specific node from the single linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and initialize 'temp1'
with head.
•Step 4 - Keep moving the temp1 until it reaches to the exact node to be deleted or to the last node. And every
time set 'temp2 = temp1' before moving the 'temp1' to its next node.
•Step 5 - If it is reached to the last node then display 'Given node not found in the list! Deletion not
possible!!!'. And terminate the function.
•Step 6 - If it is reached to the exact node which we want to delete, then check whether list is having only one
node or not
•Step 7 - If list has only one node and that is the node to be deleted, then set head = NULL and
delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
•Step 8 - If list contains multiple nodes, then check whether temp1 is the first node in the list (temp1 == head).
•Step 9 - If temp1 is the first node then move the head to the next node (head = head → next) and
delete temp1.
•Step 10 - If temp1 is not first node then check whether it is last node in the list (temp1 → next == NULL).
•Step 11 - If temp1 is last node then set temp2 → next = NULL and delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
•Step 12 - If temp1 is not first node and not last node then set temp2 → next = temp1 → next and
delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
Displaying a Single Linked List
We can use the following steps to display the elements of a single linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!!' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Keep displaying temp → data with an arrow (--->) until temp reaches to the last node
•Step 5 - Finally display temp → data with arrow pointing to NULL (temp → data ---> NULL).
What is Circular Linked List?
• In single linked list, every node points to its next node in the sequence and the last node points
NULL. But in circular linked list, every node points to its next node in the sequence but the last
node points to the first node in the list.
• A circular linked list is a sequence of elements in which every element has a link to its next
element in the sequence and the last element has a link to the first element.
• That means circular linked list is similar to the single linked list except that the last node points to
the first node in the list
Operations
In a circular linked list, we perform the following operations...
1.Insertion
2.Deletion
3.Display
Before we implement actual operations, first we need to setup empty list. First perform the
following steps before implementing actual operations.
•Step 1 - Include all the header files which are used in the program.
•Step 2 - Declare all the user defined functions.
•Step 3 - Define a Node structure with two members data and next
•Step 4 - Define a Node pointer 'head' and set it to NULL.
•Step 5 - Implement the main method by displaying operations menu and make suitable
function calls in the main method to perform user selected operation.
Insertion
In a circular linked list, the insertion operation can be performed in three ways. They are as follows...
1.Inserting At Beginning of the list
2.Inserting At End of the list
3.Inserting At Specific location in the list
Inserting At Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at beginning of the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode and newNode→next = head .
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with 'head'.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the 'temp' to its next node until it reaches to the last node (until 'temp →
next == head').
•Step 6 - Set 'newNode → next =head', 'head = newNode' and 'temp → next = head'.
Inserting At End of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at end of the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL).
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode and newNode → next = head.
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the last node in the
list (until temp → next == head).
•Step 6 - Set temp → next = newNode and newNode → next = head.
Inserting At Specific location in the list (After a Node)
We can use the following steps to insert a new node after a node in the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode and newNode → next = head.
•Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the node after which we want to insert the
newNode (until temp1 → data is equal to location, here location is the node value after which we want to insert
the newNode).
•Step 6 - Every time check whether temp is reached to the last node or not. If it is reached to last node then
display 'Given node is not found in the list!!! Insertion not possible!!!' and terminate the function. Otherwise
move the temp to next node.
•Step 7 - If temp is reached to the exact node after which we want to insert the newNode then check whether it is
last node (temp → next == head).
•Step 8 - If temp is last node then set temp → next = newNode and newNode → next = head.
•Step 8 - If temp is not last node then set newNode → next = temp → next and temp → next = newNode.
Deletion
In a circular linked list, the deletion operation can be performed in three ways those are as follows...
1.Deleting from Beginning of the list
2.Deleting from End of the list
3.Deleting a Specific Node
Deleting from Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from beginning of the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and initialize both 'temp1'
and 'temp2' with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list is having only one node (temp1 → next == head)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE then set head = NULL and delete temp1 (Setting Empty list conditions)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE move the temp1 until it reaches to the last node. (until temp1 → next == head )
•Step 7 - Then set head = temp2 → next, temp1 → next = head and delete temp2.
Deleting from End of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from end of the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the
function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and initialize
'temp1' with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list has only one Node (temp1 → next == head)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE. Then, set head = NULL and delete temp1. And terminate from the
function. (Setting Empty list condition)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE. Then, set 'temp2 = temp1 ' and move temp1 to its next node. Repeat the
same until temp1 reaches to the last node in the list. (until temp1 → next == head)
•Step 7 - Set temp2 → next = head and delete temp1.
Deleting a Specific Node from the list
We can use the following steps to delete a specific node from the circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and initialize 'temp1' with head.
•Step 4 - Keep moving the temp1 until it reaches to the exact node to be deleted or to the last node. And every time set 'temp2 =
temp1' before moving the 'temp1' to its next node.
•Step 5 - If it is reached to the last node then display 'Given node not found in the list! Deletion not possible!!!'. And terminate the
function.
•Step 6 - If it is reached to the exact node which we want to delete, then check whether list is having only one node ( temp1 →
next == head)
•Step 7 - If list has only one node and that is the node to be deleted then set head = NULL and delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
•Step 8 - If list contains multiple nodes then check whether temp1 is the first node in the list (temp1 == head).
•Step 9 - If temp1 is the first node then set temp2 = head and keep moving temp2 to its next node until temp2 reaches to the last
node. Then set head = head → next, temp2 → next = head and delete temp1.
•Step 10 - If temp1 is not first node then check whether it is last node in the list (temp1 → next == head).
•Step 1 1- If temp1 is last node then set temp2 → next = head and delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
•Step 12 - If temp1 is not first node and not last node then set temp2 → next = temp1 → next and delete temp1 (free(temp1)).
Displaying a circular Linked List
We can use the following steps to display the elements of a circular linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty, then display 'List is Empty!!!' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize
with head.
•Step 4 - Keep displaying temp → data with an arrow (--->) until temp reaches to
the last node
•Step 5 - Finally display temp → data with arrow pointing to head → data.
What is Double Linked List?
In a single linked list, every node has a link to its next node in the sequence. So, traverse from one node to another node only in
one direction and we can not traverse back. This kind of problem solved by using a double linked list. A double linked list can be
defined as follows...
Double linked list is a sequence of elements in which every element has links to its previous element and next element in
the sequence.
In a double linked list, every node has a link to its previous node and next node. So, we can traverse forward by using the next
field and can traverse backward by using the previous field. Every node in a double linked list contains three fields and they are
shown in the following figure...

Here, 'link1' field is used to store the address of the previous node
in the sequence, 'link2' field is used to store the address of the next
node in the sequence and 'data' field is used to store the actual
value of that node.
Operations on Double Linked List
In a double linked list, we perform the following operations...
1.Insertion
2.Deletion
3.Display
Insertion
In a double linked list, the insertion operation can be performed in three ways as follows...
4.Inserting At Beginning of the list
5.Inserting At End of the list
6.Inserting At Specific location in the list
Inserting At Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at beginning of the double linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value and newNode → previous as NULL.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, assign NULL to newNode → next and newNode to head.
•Step 4 - If it is not Empty then, assign head to newNode → next and newNode to head.
Inserting At End of the list
We can use the following steps to insert a new node at end of the double linked list...
Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value and newNode → next as NULL.
Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
Step 3 - If it is Empty, then assign NULL to newNode → previous and newNode to head.
Step 4 - If it is not Empty, then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the last node in the list (until temp → next is equal to NULL).
Step 6 - Assign newNode to temp → next and temp to newNode → previous.
Inserting At Specific location in the list (After a Node)
We can use the following steps to insert a new node after a node in the double linked list...
•Step 1 - Create a newNode with given value.
•Step 2 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 3 - If it is Empty then, assign NULL to both newNode → previous & newNode → next and
set newNode to head.
•Step 4 - If it is not Empty then, define two node pointers temp1 & temp2 and initialize temp1 with head.
•Step 5 - Keep moving the temp1 to its next node until it reaches to the node after which we want to insert the
newNode (until temp1 → data is equal to location, here location is the node value after which we want to insert the
newNode).
•Step 6 - Every time check whether temp1 is reached to the last node. If it is reached to the last node then
display 'Given node is not found in the list!!! Insertion not possible!!!' and terminate the function. Otherwise
move the temp1 to next node.
•Step 7 - Assign temp1 → next to temp2, newNode to temp1 → next, temp1 to newNode →
previous, temp2 to newNode → next and newNode to temp2 → previous.
Deletion
In a double linked list, the deletion operation can be performed in three ways as follows...
1.Deleting from Beginning of the list
2.Deleting from End of the list
3.Deleting a Specific Node
Deleting from Beginning of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from beginning of the double linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list is having only one node (temp → previous is equal to temp → next)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE, then set head to NULL and delete temp (Setting Empty list conditions)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE, then assign temp → next to head, NULL to head → previous and delete temp.
Deleting from End of the list
We can use the following steps to delete a node from end of the double linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty, then display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Check whether list has only one Node (temp → previous and temp → next both are NULL)
•Step 5 - If it is TRUE, then assign NULL to head and delete temp. And terminate from the function.
(Setting Empty list condition)
•Step 6 - If it is FALSE, then keep moving temp until it reaches to the last node in the list. (until temp →
next is equal to NULL)
•Step 7 - Assign NULL to temp → previous → next and delete temp.
Deleting a Specific Node from the list
We can use the following steps to delete a specific node from the double linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is not Empty, then define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Keep moving the temp until it reaches to the exact node to be deleted or to the last node.
•Step 5 - If it is reached to the last node, then display 'Given node not found in the list! Deletion not possible!!!' and terminate the
fuction.
•Step 6 - If it is reached to the exact node which we want to delete, then check whether list is having only one node or not
•Step 7 - If list has only one node and that is the node which is to be deleted then set head to NULL and delete temp (free(temp)).
•Step 8 - If list contains multiple nodes, then check whether temp is the first node in the list (temp == head).
•Step 9 - If temp is the first node, then move the head to the next node (head = head → next),
set head of previous to NULL (head → previous = NULL) and delete temp.
•Step 10 - If temp is not the first node, then check whether it is the last node in the list (temp → next == NULL).
•Step 11 - If temp is the last node then set temp of previous of next to NULL (temp → previous → next = NULL) and
delete temp (free(temp)).
•Step 12 - If temp is not the first node and not the last node, then set temp of previous of next to temp of next (temp → previous
→ next = temp → next), temp of next of previous to temp of previous (temp → next → previous = temp → previous) and
delete temp (free(temp)).
Displaying a Double Linked List
We can use the following steps to display the elements of a double linked list...
•Step 1 - Check whether list is Empty (head == NULL)
•Step 2 - If it is Empty, then display 'List is Empty!!!' and terminate the function.
•Step 3 - If it is not Empty, then define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
•Step 4 - Display 'NULL <--- '.
•Step 5 - Keep displaying temp → data with an arrow (<===>) until temp reaches to the last
node
•Step 6 - Finally, display temp → data with arrow pointing to NULL (temp → data ---> NULL).