How do you use a linked list in C++?

1 year ago
Jackson Davis
2 minutes

In C++, a linked list is a dynamic data structure used for storing and managing data. It consists of a series of nodes, with each node containing data and a pointer to the next node. The size of the linked list can be dynamically changed by inserting and deleting nodes.

Here are the general steps for implementing a linked list using C++:

  1. Define node structure: Create a struct or class to represent each node in a linked list, typically including data members and a pointer to the next node.
  2. Create a linked list object: declare a pointer pointing to the head node of the list.
  3. Inserting a node: Allocate memory dynamically using the new operator to create a new node, set the node’s data members, and insert the new node into the linked list. You can choose to insert the node at the head, tail, or middle of the list.
  4. Traverse a linked list: use a loop structure and pointers to go through each node in the linked list and access the data.
  5. Delete node: locate the node to be deleted, adjust the pointers of the adjacent nodes to skip over the node, and free the memory of the node.
  6. Release Memory: Use the delete operator to release the memory of each node in the linked list when it is no longer in use.

Here is a simple example code demonstrating how to implement a linked list using C++.

#include <iostream>

// 定义节点结构
struct Node {
    int data;
    Node* next;
};

int main() {
    // 创建链表对象
    Node* head = nullptr;

    // 插入节点
    Node* newNode = new Node;
    newNode->data = 5;
    newNode->next = nullptr;
    head = newNode;

    // 遍历链表
    Node* currentNode = head;
    while (currentNode != nullptr) {
        std::cout << currentNode->data << " ";
        currentNode = currentNode->next;
    }

    // 删除节点
    delete head;

    return 0;
}

This is just the basic usage of a linked list, you can customize and enhance its functionality as needed, such as inserting nodes at specific positions, searching for nodes, etc.

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