COMP 121 Week 11: Linked Lists

Objectives Understand how single-, double-, and circular-linked list data structures are implemented Understand the LinkedList class Understand the Iterator interface Understand the ListIterator interface Become familiar with another piece of the Java Collection framework

Linked List ArrayList: add/remove methods operate in linear time O(n)  Require a loop to shift elements in the underlying array LinkedList:  Overcomes this by providing ability to add or remove items anywhere in the list in constant time O(1)  Each element (node) in a linked list stores information and a link to the next, and, optionally, previous node

Single-Linked List Node A node contains a data item and one or more links A link is a reference to a node A node is defined inside of List class, making it an inner class The details of a node should be private

Single-Linked List

Adding an Element

Removing an Element

Single-Linked List - Limitations Insertion at positions other than the first is O(n)  Insertion at the front of the list is O(1) Can insert a node only after a referenced node Can remove a node only if we have a reference to its predecessor node Can traverse the list only in the forward direction Solution: double-linked list

Double-Linked List Node

Double-Linked List

Adding an Element to a Double- Linked List (Steps 1 and 2)

Adding an Element to a Double- Linked List (Steps 3 and 4)

Removing an Element from a Double-Linked List

Circular-Linked Lists Links the last node of a double-linked list to the first node and the first to the last Advantages:  Can traverse in forward or reverse direction even after you reach the last or first node  Can visit all list elements from any starting point  Can never fall off the end of a list Disadvantage:  If not careful, can cause an infinite loop!

Circular Linked List

The LinkedList Class Part of the Java API Implements the List interface using a double-linked list

The Iterator Interface The interface Iterator is defined as part of API package java.util The List interface declares the method iterator(), which returns an Iterator object that will iterate over the elements of that list An Iterator does not refer to or point to a particular node at any given time, but points between nodes

The Iterator Interface (cont’d)

The ListIterator Interface Iterator limitations:  Can only traverse the List in the forward direction  Provides only a remove method  Must advance an Iterator using your own loop if starting position is not at the beginning of the list ListIterator is an extension of the Iterator interface that overcomes the above limitations Like Iterator, a ListIterator should be thought of as being positioned between elements of the linked list

ListIterator

The java.util.ListIterator Interface

LinkedList Methods that Return ListIterators

ListIterator vs. Index nextIndex returns the index value of the item that would be returned by a subsequent call to next() previousIndex returns the index value of the item that would be returned by a subsequent call to previous() listIterator(int index) is a method of the LinkedList class:  Returns a ListIterator whose subsequent call to next() will return the item at position index

Case Study: Writing a Program to Maintain a List of Homework Assignments When an assignment is assigned, add it to the list, and when it is completed, remove it. Keep track of the due date. The program should provide the following services:  Add a new assignment  Remove an assignment  Provide a list of the assignments in the order they were assigned  Find the assignment with the earliest due date

UML Class Diagram Assignment description dueDate compareTo() HomeworkList assignmentList add() remove() displayAssignments() findEarliest()

HomeworkList Class import java.util.ListIterator; import java.util.LinkedList; public class HomeworkList { private LinkedList assignmentList; private LinkedList assignmentList; public HomeworkList() public HomeworkList() { assignmentList = new LinkedList (); assignmentList = new LinkedList (); }

HomeworkList Class (cont’d) public void add(Assignment assignment) public void add(Assignment assignment) { assignmentList.addLast(assignment); assignmentList.addLast(assignment); } public void remove(Assignment assignment) public void remove(Assignment assignment) { assignmentList.remove(assignment); assignmentList.remove(assignment); }

HomeworkList Class (cont’d) public void displayAssignments() public void displayAssignments() { String message; String message; int i = 1; int i = 1; for (Assignment assignment : assignmentList) for (Assignment assignment : assignmentList) { message = "Assignment #" + (i++) + message = "Assignment #" + (i++) + ":\n" + ":\n" + assignment.getDescription() + assignment.getDescription() + "\nDue date: " + "\nDue date: " + assignment.getDueDate(); assignment.getDueDate(); System.out.println(message); System.out.println(message); } }

HomeworkList Class (cont’d) public Assignment findEarliest() { Assignment earliest = null; Assignment earliest = null; Assignment current; Assignment current; ListIterator iter = ListIterator iter = assignmentList.listIterator(); assignmentList.listIterator(); if (iter.hasNext()) if (iter.hasNext()) { earliest = iter.next(); earliest = iter.next(); while (iter.hasNext()) while (iter.hasNext()) { current = iter.next(); current = iter.next(); if (current.compareTo(earliest) < 0) if (current.compareTo(earliest) < 0) { earliest = current; earliest = current; } } } return earliest; return earliest;}

Summary A linked list consists of a set of nodes, each of which contains its data and a reference to the next node Locating an item at a position indicated by an index in a linked list requires traversing the list from the beginning until the item at the specified index is found An Iterator gives with the ability to access the items in a List sequentially The ListIterator interface is an extension of the Iterator interface The Java API provides the LinkedList class, which uses a double-linked list to implement the List interface

Questions?