Applications of Linked List

Linked List is a way of storing data where each element (called a node) points to the next one.
It is very useful in many cases because it allows easy insertions and deletions.

Where Linked Lists Are Used?

1. Fast Insertions

   • Adding a new element at the beginning or end is very quick.
   • It takes only O(1) time (constant time).

2. Fast Deletions

   • Removing an element from the beginning is also very quick (O(1)).

3. Insert/Delete in the Middle

   • If we already know the previous node, we can add or remove elements in the middle easily (Θ(1) time).

4. Round Robin Implementation

   • Used in scheduling tasks (like giving each task a fixed time to run one by one).

5. Merging Two Sorted Linked Lists

   • Faster than merging arrays because we just change the pointers instead of moving elements.

6. Memory Management

   • Helps to manage free memory blocks by linking them together.

7. Queues and Deques

   • Very easy to build Queue (FIFO) and Deque (double-ended queue) using Linked List.

Simple Example

Think of a train 🚆:

• Each coach is a node (with passengers = data).
• Each coach is connected to the next one.
• We can add or remove coaches easily without rearranging the whole train.

That’s exactly how a linked list works!