Linked list traversal refers to the process of visiting each node in a linked list to access, modify, or perform some operation on the data stored in each node. In a singly linked list, each node contains two parts: data (the value stored in the node) and a reference to the next node in the list (often called the “next” pointer).
To traverse a linked list, you typically start from the head node (the first node in the list) and follow the “next” pointers from one node to the next until you reach the end of the list, which is usually indicated by a null pointer (i.e., the “next” pointer of the last node is set to null).
Step-by-step explanation of linked list traversal:
Initialize a Pointer: Start by initializing a pointer (often called the “current” pointer) to the head node of the linked list. This pointer will be used to traverse the list.
Access the Data: Access the data (value) stored in the current node. This is the first node’s data (head node) initially.
Move to the Next Node: Move the current pointer to the next node in the list. This is done by following the “next” pointer of the current node. If the “next” pointer is null, it means you have reached the end of the list, and the traversal is complete. Otherwise, repeat steps 2 and 3 for the next node.
Repeat: Continue steps 2 and 3 until you have visited all nodes in the linked list (i.e., the current pointer becomes null).
Linked list traversal can be achieved using iterative loops or recursive functions. The choice between the two methods depends on the programming language and the specific requirements of your application.
Pseudocode:
struct Node {
int data;
struct Node* next;
};
void traverseLinkedList(struct Node* head) {
struct Node* current = head; // Initialize the current pointer to the head node
while (current != NULL) {
// Access the data in the current node
int value = current->data;
// Perform operations with the value (e.g., print, compare, etc.)
// Move to the next node
current = current->next;
}
}
We traverse the linked list starting from the head node, accessing the data in each node and moving to the next node until we reach the end of the list (current pointer becomes null).
