Arrays VS Linked List

The easiest way to understand linked lists is perhaps by comparing linked lists with arrays.

Linked lists consist of nodes, and is a linear data structure we make ourselves, unlike arrays which is an existing data structure in the programming language that we can use.

Nodes in a linked list store links to other nodes, but array elements do not need to store links to other elements.

Linked List:

• Data Structure: Non-contiguous

• Memory Allocation: Typically allocated one by one to individual elements

• Insertion/Deletion: Efficient

• Access: Sequential

Array:

• Data Structure: Contiguous

• Memory Allocation: Typically allocated to the whole array

• Insertion/Deletion: Inefficient

• Access: Random