Insertion in Linked list | Data structures

Insertion - in a linked list to insert a node at any position like at the end, first, or in between the nodes, we need a reference to the node of the list.

so first we need to find the reference to the node of the list. and if you don't know how to find the reference to the node of the list then first read this post.

• Operations on the Linked list

After completing this tutorial you are able to 

1. Insert the node beginning of the list
2. Insert the node in an empty list
3. Insert the node at the end of the list
4. Insert the node in between the nodes
5. Insert the node after a node
6. Insert the node before a node
7. Insert the node at a given position

Insert the node beginning of the list

to insert a node at the beginning of the list first we need to allocate a new node called temp as you see in the image given below.

after that, we point the linked part of the new node to the first node of the list. and then we point the start variable to the temp node. so it will become the first node of the list.

Note: the process and steps we follow are very important because if we reverse the order of steps to insert the node then we stuck in the infinite loop of the list.

def insert_in_beginning(self, data):
    temp = Node(data)
    temp.link = self.start
    self.start = temp

Insert the node in an empty list

in an empty we don't have any node. so till now, our list is empty the reference to the first node is null or None.

first, we allocate a new node called temp. and then we point the reference of the node to the start variable.

def insert_at_end(self, data):
    temp = Node(data)
    if self.start is None:
        self.start = temp

Insert the node at the end of the list

to insert a node at the end of the list first we need a reference to the last node of the list. after finding the reference to the last node of the list. first, we allocate a new node called temp.

and then we point the last node of the list to the newly allocated node.

def insert_at_end(self, data):
    temp = Node(data)
    if self.start is None:
        self.start = temp
        return
    p = self.start
    while p.link is not None:
        p = p.link
    p.link = temp

Insert the node in between the nodes. 

to insert a node in the between the nodes we need a reference to the node after we are going to insert the node. as you see in the image. and we allocate a new node called temp.

and then we store the reference of the next node of p into the temp node as you see in the image given below.

and then we store the reference of the temp node into the p node.

Note: the order of the steps to insert the new node between the nodes of the list is very important. if we reverse our steps then we are stuck in an infinite loop.

Insert a node after a node

like if we want to insert the node after a node that having value x as you see in the image given below.

for example, we need to insert the node after the node that having value x=56 then first we need to find the reference to the node that has the particular value.


and then we allocate a new node called temp.

and then we store the reference of the next node to the new node as you see in the image.

then we store the reference of the newly allocated node into the p node.

def insert_after(self, data, x):
    p = self.start
    while p is not None:
        if p.info == x:
            break        p = p.link

    if p is None:
        print(x, "not present in the list")
    else:
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = p.link
        p.link = temp

Insert a node before a node

as if we want to insert the node before a node that has value x. for example, we need to insert the node before the node that has value x=45. then first we need to find the reference to the predecessor of the node that has value x. 

and then we allocate a new node called temp.

and then we store the reference of the node into the new node.

and then we store the reference of the new node into the p node.

def insert_before(self, data, x):
    # If list is empty    if self.start is None:
        print("List is empty")
        return    # x is in first node , ew node is to be inserted before first node    if x == self.start.info:
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = self.start
        self.start = temp
        return
    # Find reference to predecessor of node contanining x    p = self.start
    while p.link is not None:
        if p.link.info == x:
            break        p = p.link

    if p.link is None:
        print(x, " not present in the list")
    else:
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = p.link
        p.link = temp

Insert a node at a given position.

like if we want to insert a node at the kth position in the list. then first we need to find the reference to the node at the k-1 position.

for example, if we want to insert the node at the position k=4 then we find the reference to the node at the 3rd position. as you see in the image given below.

after that, we allocate a new node called temp.

then we store the reference of node at the kth position. as you see in the image given below.

then we store the reference of the newly allocated node to the k-1 node. as you see in the image given below.

so the new node becomes the 4th node of the list.

def insert_at_position(self, data, k):
    if k == 1:
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = self.start
        self.start = temp
        return
    p = self.start
    i = 1    while i < k - 1 and p is not None:
        p = p.link
        i += 1
    if p is None:
        print("You can insert only upto position", i)
    else:
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = p.link
        p.link = temp

Python program for traversing in the linked list.

class Node:

    def __init__(self, value):
        self.info = value
        self.link = None

class SingleLinkedList:

    def __init__(self):
        self.start = None
    def display_list(self):
        if self.start is None:
            print("List is empty")
            return        else:
            print("List is :   ")
            p = self.start
            while p is not None:
                print(p.info, " ", end=' ')
                p = p.link
            print()

    def count_nodes(self):
        p = self.start
        n = 0        while p is not None:
            n += 1            p = p.link
        print("Number of nodes in the list = ", n)

    def search(self):
        position = 1        p = self.start
        while p is not None:
            if p.info == x:
                print(x, " is at position ", position)
                return True            position += 1            p = p.link
        else:
            print(x, " not found in list")
            return False
    def insert_in_beginning(self, data):
        temp = Node(data)
        temp.link = self.start
        self.start = temp

    def insert_at_end(self, data):
        temp = Node(data)
        if self.start is None:
            self.start = temp
            return
        p = self.start
        while p.link is not None:
            p = p.link
        p.link = temp

    def create_list(self):
        n = int(input("Enter the number of nodes  :  "))
        if n == 0:
            return        for i in range(n):
            data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
            self.insert_at_end(data)

    def insert_after(self, data, x):
        p = self.start
        while p is not None:
            if p.info == x:
                break            p = p.link

        if p is None:
            print(x, "not present in the list")
        else:
            temp = Node(data)
            temp.link = p.link
            p.link = temp

    def insert_before(self, data, x):
        # If list is empty        if self.start is None:
            print("List is empty")
            return
        if x == self.start.info:
            temp = Node(data)
            temp.link = self.start
            self.start = temp
            return

        p = self.start
        while p.link is not None:
            if p.link.info == x:
                break            p = p.link

        if p.link is None:
            print(x, " not present in the list")
        else:
            temp = Node(data)
            temp.link = p.link
            p.link = temp

    def insert_at_position(self, data, k):
        if k == 1:
            temp = Node(data)
            temp.link = self.start
            self.start = temp
            return
        p = self.start
        i = 1        while i < k - 1 and p is not None:
            p = p.link
            i += 1
        if p is None:
            print("You can insert only upto position", i)
        else:
            temp = Node(data)
            temp.link = p.link
            p.link = temp

    def delete_node(self, x):

        if self.start is None:
            print("List is empty")

        if self.start.info == x:
            self.start = self.start.link
            return
        p = self.start
        while p.link is not None:
            if p.link.info == x:
                break            p = p.link

        if p.link is None:
            print("Element ", x , "not in list")
        else:
            p.link = p.link.link

    def delete_first_node(self):
        if self.start is None:
            return        self.start = self.start.link

    def delete_last_node(self):

        if self.start is None:
            return
        if self.start.link is None:
            self.start = None            return
        p = self.start
        while p.link.link is not None:
            p = p.link
        p.link = None
    def reverse_list(self):

        prev = None        p = self.start
        while p is not None:
            next = p.link
            p.link = prev
            prev = p
            p = next
        self.start = prev


    def bubble_sort_exdata(self):

        end = None
        while end != self.start.link:
            p = self.start
            while p.link != end:
                q = p.link
                if p.info > q.info:
                    p.info, q.info = q.info, p.info
                p = p.link
            end = p

    def bubble_sort_exlinks(self):

        end = None
        while end != self.start.link:
            r = p = self.start
            while p.link != end:
                q = p.link
                if p.info > q.info :
                    p.link = q.link
                    q.link = p
                    if p != self.start:
                        r.link = q
                    else:
                        self.start = q
                    p,q = q,p
                r = p
                p = p.link
            end = p

    def has_cycle(self):
        if self.find_cycle() is None:
            return False        else:
            return True
    def find_cycle(self):
        if self.start is None or self.start.link is None:
            return None
        slowR = self.start
        fastR = self.start

        while fastR is not None and fastR.link is not None:
            slowR = slowR.link
            fastR = fastR.link.link
            if slowR == fastR:
                return slowR
        return None
    def remove_cycle(self):
        c = self.find_cycle()
        if c is None:
            return        print("Node at which the cycle was detected is ", c.info)

        p = c
        q = c
        len_cycle = 0
        while True:
            len_cycle+=1            q = q.link
            if p == q:
                break        print("Length of cycle is :", len_cycle)

        len_rem_list = 0        p = self.start
        while p != q:
            len_rem_list+=1            p = p.link
            q = q.link

        print("Number of nodes not included in the cycle are : ", len_rem_list)
        length_list = len_cycle + len_rem_list
        print("Length of the list is : ", length_list)

        p = self.start
        for i in range(length_list-1):
            p = p.link
        p.link = None

    def insert_cycle(self, x):
        if self.start is None:
            return        p = self.start
        px = None        prev = None
        while p is not None:
            if p.info == x:
                px = p
            prev = p
            p = p.link

        if px is not None:
            prev.link = px
        else:
            print(x, " not present in list")

    def merge2(self, list2):
        merge_list = SingleLinkedList()
        merge_list.start = self._merge2(self.start, list2.start)
        return merge_list

    def _merge2(self, p1, p2):
        if p1.info <= p2.info:
            startM = p1
            p1 = p1.link
        else:
            startM = p2
            p2 = p2.link
        pM = startM

        while p1 is not None and p2 is not None:
            if p1.info <= p2.info:
                pM.link = p1
                pM = pM.link
                p1 = p1.link
            else:
                pM.link = p2
                pM = pM.link
                p2 = p2.link

        if p1 is None:
            pM.link = p2
        else:
            pM.link = p1

        return startM

    def merge_sort(self):
        self.start = self._merge_sort_rec(self.start)

    def _merge_sort_rec(self, list_start):

        if list_start is None or list_start.link is None:
            return list_start

        start1 = list_start
        start2 = self._divide_list(list_start)
        start1 = self._merge_sort_rec(start1)
        start2 = self._merge_sort_rec(start2)
        startM = self._merge2(start1, start2)

        return startM

    def _divide_list(self, p):
        q = p.link.link
        while q is not None and q.link is not None:
            p = p.link
            q = q.link.link
        start2 = p.link
        p.link = None        return start2


##########################

list = SingleLinkedList()

list.create_list()

while True:
    print("1. Display list")
    print("2. Count the number of nodes")
    print("3. Search for an element")
    print("4. Insert in empty list/insert in beginning of the list")
    print("5. Insert a node at the end of the list")
    print("6. Insert a node after a specified node")
    print("7. Insert a node before a specified node")
    print("8. Insert a node at a given position")
    print("9. Delete first node")
    print("10. Delete last node")
    print("11. Delete any node")
    print("12. Reverse the list")
    print("13. Bubble sort by exchanging data")
    print("14. Bubble sort by exchanging links")
    print("15. Merge sort")
    print("16. Insert Cycle")
    print("17. Detect Cycle")
    print("18. Remove Cycle")
    print("19. Quite")

    option = int(input("Enter your choice"))

    if option == 1:
        list.display_list()
    elif option == 2:
        list.count_nodes()
    elif option == 3:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be searched : "))
        list.search(data)
    elif option == 4:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
        list.insert_in_beginning(data)
    elif option == 5:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
        list.insert_at_end(data)
    elif option == 6:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
        x = int(input("Enter the element after which to insert : "))
        list.insert_after(data, x)
    elif option == 7:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
        x = int(input("Enter the element before which to insert : "))
        list.insert_before(data, x)
    elif option == 8:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be inserted : "))
        k = int(input("Enter the position at which to insert : "))
        list.insert_at_position(data, k)
    elif option == 9:
        list.delete_first_node()
    elif option == 10:
        list.delete_last_node()
    elif option == 11:
        data = int(input("Enter the element to be deleted : "))
        list.delete_node(data)
    elif option == 12:
        list.reverse_list()
    elif option == 13:
        list.bubble_sort_exdata()
    elif option == 14:
        list.bubble_sort_exlinks()
    elif option == 15:
        list.merge_sort()
    elif option == 16:
        data = int(input("Enter the element at which the cycle has to be inserted : "))
        list.insert_cycle(data)
    elif option == 17:
        if list.has_cycle():
            print("List has a cycle")
        else:
            print("List does not have a cycle")
    elif option == 18:
        list.remove_cycle()
    elif option == 19:
        break    else:
        print("Wrong option")
    print()

Download program

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