Difference between Array and Linked List

Difference between Array and Linked List

The comparison between linked list and arrays is as shown below ‒

Linked list

1. The linked list is a collection of nodes and each node is having one data field and next link field.

For example:

2. Any element can be accessed by sequential access only.

3.Physically the data can be deleted.

4.Insertions and deletion of data is easy.

5. Memory allocation is dynamic. Hence developer can allocate as well as deallocate the memory. And SO no wastage of memory is there.

Array

1. The array is a collection of similar types of data elements. In arrays the data is always  stored at some index of the array.

For example:

2. Any element can be accessed randomly i.e.with the help of index of the array.

3. Only logical deletion of the data is possible.

4. Insertions and deletion of data is difficult.

5. The memory allocation is static. Hence once the fixed amount of size is declared then that much memory is allocated. Therefore there is a chance of either memory wastage or memory shortage.

Review Question

1. What are the advantages of linked list over array ?