Introduction to Linked Lists

A linked list is a fundamental data structure used in computer science to organize and store a collection of elements. Unlike arrays, which store elements in contiguous memory locations, linked lists use pointers to connect elements, allowing for dynamic memory allocation and efficient insertions and deletions.

Anatomy of a Linked List

A linked list consists of nodes, where each node contains two main components:

1. Data: The actual value or information being stored in the node.
2. Next Pointer: A reference to the next node in the sequence. This pointer links nodes together and forms the "link" in linked list.

Singly Linked List in Python

Here's an example of a simple singly linked list implemented in Python:

Copy

In this example, the Node class defines the structure of a node, while the LinkedList class manages the linked list operations. The append method adds elements to the end of the list, and the display method prints the list's contents.

Linked lists provide flexibility and efficiency in scenarios where dynamic memory allocation and frequent insertions and deletions are important. Understanding their structure and operations is crucial for building efficient algorithms and data structures, if you are working with python get use to see this sort of thing!