AI engineering glossary · Data structures algorithms
What is linked list?
Linked list: A sequence of nodes where each node stores a value and a reference to the next node. Insertion or removal at a known node is fast because no shifting is needed, but reaching the k-th item requires walking through k nodes.
Linked list: an example
To remove a node from a list of 50 items you only redirect the previous node's pointer, but to find the 40th item you must follow 40 links.
Related terms
More Data structures algorithms terms
- Load factor
- Longest common subsequence
- Longest increasing subsequence
- LRU cache
- Master theorem
- Memoization
- Merge sort
- Minimum spanning tree
Where you learn it
Linked list is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.