What is a Circular linked list?
A circular linked is very similar to a singly linked list, the only difference is in the singly linked list the last node of the list point to null but in the circular linked list the last node of the list point to the address of the head. This type of list is known as a circular linked list.
We can traverse all nodes starting from the head and stop when the next node is pointing to the head which indicates we have reached the last node.
Below is the figure of how circular linked list looks
While traversing the circular linked list, we have to break the loop if we find the next of the last node is equal to the head other we can go into an infinite loop.
Advantages of a circular linked list
- Some problems are circular and a circular data structure would be more natural when used to represent it
- The entire list can be traversed starting from any node (traverse means visit every node just once)
- fewer special cases when coding(all nodes have a node before and after it)
About Circular Linked List
Usually, a linked list contains a null node (a node without reference) at the end, while a circular linked list is a special kind of list in which the last node points back to the first node, which is the start node. The start node acts as a reference point for the beginning of the list. If the start is equal to Null, then the Circular Linked List is empty.
- While traversing, you can begin at any node and traverse the list in any direction forward or backwards until reaching the same node where started.
- A circular linked list has no beginning and no end
- In circular linked list the last node address part holds the address of the first node hence forming a circular chain-like structure.
Circular Linked List | Set 1 (Introduction and Applications)
We have discussed singly and doubly linked lists in the following posts.
Introduction to Linked List & Insertion
Doubly Linked List Introduction and Insertion
Circular linked list is a linked list where all nodes are connected to form a circle. There is no NULL at the end. A circular linked list can be a singly circular linked list or doubly circular linked list.
Advantages of Circular Linked Lists:
1) Any node can be a starting point. We can traverse the whole list by starting from any point. We just need to stop when the first visited node is visited again.
2) Useful for implementation of queue. Unlike this implementation, we don’t need to maintain two pointers for front and rear if we use circular linked list. We can maintain a pointer to the last inserted node and front can always be obtained as next of last.
3) Circular lists are useful in applications to repeatedly go around the list. For example, when multiple applications are running on a PC, it is common for the operating system to put the running applications on a list and then to cycle through them, giving each of them a slice of time to execute, and then making them wait while the CPU is given to another application. It is convenient for the operating system to use a circular list so that when it reaches the end of the list it can cycle around to the front of the list.
4) Circular Doubly Linked Lists are used for implementation of advanced data structures like Fibonacci Heap.
Next Posts :
Circular Linked List | Set 2 (Traversal)
Circular Singly Linked List | Insertion
Please write comments if you find any bug in above code/algorithm, or find other ways to solve the same problem
What is the advantage and disadvantage of using a circular linked list?
Table of Contents
- What is the advantage and disadvantage of using a circular linked list?
- What is the main disadvantage of a linked list?
- Which is disadvantage of doubly circular linked list?
- What is the circular list what are the advantages of circular lists?
- Why being circular is an advantage for linked list?
- Is circular linked list important?
- What is the main advantage of linked list?
- Why do we need linked lists?
- Which is better linked list or circular linked list?
- Why do we use circular linked list?
- What are the pros and cons of circular linked list?
- Why is a linked list called a circular linked list?
- What are advantages and disadvantages of linear linked list?
- How is a circular doubly linked list dynamic?
What is the advantage and disadvantage of using a circular linked list?
In Circular Linked List,end node will points to first Node (doesn't contain a NULL pointer)whereas in singly linked list it won't point to first Node. Circular list is very useful in case of Game play,to give turns for each player without any failure (due to its circular connectivity).
What is the main disadvantage of a linked list?
A drawback of linked lists is that access time is linear (and difficult to pipeline). Faster access, such as random access, is not feasible. Arrays have better cache locality compared to linked lists.
Which is disadvantage of doubly circular linked list?
Disadvantages Of DLL: It uses extra memory when compared to the array and singly linked list. Since elements in memory are stored randomly, therefore the elements are accessed sequentially no direct access is allowed.
What is the circular list what are the advantages of circular lists?
Some of the advantages of circular linked lists are: No requirement for a NULL assignment in the code. The circular list never points to a NULL pointer unless fully deallocated. Circular linked lists are advantageous for end operations since beginning and end coincide.
Why being circular is an advantage for linked list?
A circular linked list can be a singly circular linked list or doubly circular linked list. Advantages of Circular Linked Lists: 1) Any node can be a starting point. ... It is convenient for the operating system to use a circular list so that when it reaches the end of the list it can cycle around to the front of the list.
Is circular linked list important?
Circular linked lists (singly or doubly) are useful for applications that need to visit each node equally and the lists could grow. If the size of the list if fixed, it is much more efficient (speed and memory) to use circular queue.
What is the main advantage of linked list?
Advantages Of Linked List: Dynamic data structure: A linked list is a dynamic arrangement so it can grow and shrink at runtime by allocating and deallocating memory. So there is no need to give the initial size of the linked list.
Why do we need linked lists?
Linked lists are linear data structures that hold data in individual objects called nodes. Linked lists are often used because of their efficient insertion and deletion. ... They can be used to implement stacks, queues, and other abstract data types.
Which is better linked list or circular linked list?
Circular Linked List is little more complicated linked data structure. In the circular linked list we can insert elements anywhere in the list whereas in the array we cannot insert element anywhere in the list because it is in the contiguous memory.
Why do we use circular linked list?
Circular linked lists (singly or doubly) are useful for applications that need to visit each node equally and the lists could grow. If the size of the list if fixed, it is much more efficient (speed and memory) to use circular queue. A circular list is simpler than a normal doubly-linked list.
What are the pros and cons of circular linked list?
If you have a circular singly linked linked list then you can have your linked list point to the tail. Then each node has a next field. This lets you easily preppend or append new nodes to the linked list. You can also easily remove the first or last node.
Why is a linked list called a circular linked list?
In fact in the list every node points to the next node and last node points to the first node, thus forming a circle. Since it forms a circle with no end to stop hence it is called as circular linked list. In circular linked list there can be no starting or ending node, whole node can be traversed from any node.
What are advantages and disadvantages of linear linked list?
In it the last node does not contain NULL pointer. Instead the last node contains a pointer that has the address of first node and thus points back to the first node. It is shown below: Advantages: 1. If we are at a node, then we can go to any node. But in linear linked list it is not possible to go to previous node.
How is a circular doubly linked list dynamic?
The circular doubly linked list does not contain null in the previous field of the first node. Dynamic data structure: A linked list is a dynamic arrangement so it can grow and shrink at runtime by allocating and deallocating memory.