Count Linked List Nodes
?? Problem:
Today’s challenge is a fundamental one in data structures—finding the length of a Singly Linked List. ?? Let's break it down!
?? Problem Statement:
Given a singly linked list, the task is to find the number of nodes in it.
?? Example:
?? Input: LinkedList: 1->2->3->4->5
?? Output: 5 (The count of nodes is 5)
?? Solution Approach:
In a singly linked list, we can traverse from the head to the end, counting the nodes along the way.
?? Efficient Time Complexity: O(n)
This ensures that no matter how long the list is, we only pass through it once, making the solution scalable and efficient. ??
?? Sample Java Code:
class Node
{
int data;
Node next;
Node(int a)
{
data = a;
next = null;
}
}
class Solution
{
// Function to count nodes in a linked list.
public int getCount(Node head)
{
int count = 0;
Node temp = head;
while(temp != null)
{
count++;
temp = temp.next;
}
return count;
}
}
?? Explanation:
1?? Step 1: Start from the head of the linked list.
2?? Step 2: Traverse through each node using a loop.
3?? Step 3: For every node you visit, increase the count.
4?? Step 4: Once you reach the end (null), return the total count.
?? Key Takeaway:
This simple technique helps you quickly determine the length of any linked list!
Summary:
This approach efficiently computes the length of a linked list in O(n) time, making it suitable for larger lists.