Data
Structures
| |
Data Structures
So far in this course, we've
discussed Arrays and ArrayLists.- What are some differences, advantages, and disadvantages of
each?
A linked list is a data structure that allows for easy addition and removal of elements int he middle of the sequence. Linked lists are ideal when you want to store an ordered list of objects, but you do not want to re-sequence the list each time an element is added or removed.
Instead of using elements and indicies, as Arrays do, linked lists use nodes. Each node knows about its immediate neighbors, but not anyone else. So, when you insert a node, you only need to notify the two neighbor nodes.
With linked lists, random access is slower than an Array or ArrayList because several elements must be traversed. But, if nodes are accessed sequentially, inefficiency is not an issue.
More Linked Lists