Question

Data Structures & Algorithms

If we were to implement the list as a circular linked list (CLL) with a header node, how would this adjustment affect our ability to traverse the list? What advantage(s) would the adjusted list have over the current one?

Answer 1

Solution:-
In case we implement the list as a circular linked list with a header node then this alteration done in a list which can be assumed to be a type of single link list implementation as in this type of implementation the pointer referring to the next node part is NULL but using the circular linked list implementation the next node part is not NULL the pointer will be referring to the nodes visited before or simply the preceding nodes. The advantages that we get through this type of implementation are as follows:-
Traversal become very easy as we can do traversal from any point of the list and we stop when we reach at the first node that was visited before.
It can also be used for the implementation purposes of a queue the concept of maintaining of front and rear two pointers is not required in this case.
This kind of implementation also provides the feature of Doubly linked lists so in case we are using Fibonacci heap we are using a type of Circular Doubly link list implementation.