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javascriptdata-structureslinked-list
Jhankar
Jhankar

Reputation: 168

Why Linked List is called Linked List

I was explaining basic data structure to a non-programmer. And I explained that an array or list is a collection. For example, an array is a collection of numbers, names or things: a pencil box where there are many pencils.

After explaining lists, I tried to explain linked lists, describing them as something where lists are connected (linked). However in most of the examples for linked lists, I don’t see lists getting connected. rather objects or nodes get linked.

My question is: why it is called “linked list”? Why not “linked nodes” or “linked object”?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 84

Answers (2)

Jeremy Kahan
Jeremy Kahan

Reputation: 3826

It is a shorthand for a list made up of linked items. A linked braking system is created from linking front and rear brakes, which makes the system. Here linking the items makes the list.

Upvotes: 2

Dmitry S.
Dmitry S.

Reputation: 8513

Typically a list is a collection type that allows you to get elements by a position or insert elements into specific positions.

A list can be implemented using an array internally and is typically called "array list". It can also be implemented as a sequence of linked (or most likely doubly linked) elements, and would be called "linked list".

Another example would be a set; it could be a hashed set of elements when the order does not matter or a tree set that keeps element in a sorted order.

Upvotes: 4

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