🧠 Learning Journal – Python & Data Structures | Day 2

Dylan JohnsonDylan Johnson
2 min read

Topic: Linked Lists – Part 1

Today, I dove into the world of Linked Lists in Python β€” a fundamental data structure that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but underpins many powerful algorithms and systems.


πŸ” What I learned today:

βœ… The basics of Singly and Doubly Linked Lists:

  • Singly Linked List: Each node points only to the next node.

  • Doubly Linked List: Each node points to both the next and the previous nodes β€” enabling two-way traversal.

βœ… Core operations:

  • Adding nodes at the beginning, end, or between others

  • Deleting a node based on its value

  • Traversing the list

  • Handling special cases (first or last node)

πŸ’‘ What I found especially interesting:
Unlike arrays, linked lists allow for dynamic memory allocation and efficient insertions/removals without shifting everything.
However, they sacrifice fast random access β€” no direct indexing here!


πŸ“… What’s coming tomorrow:

πŸ”„ Implementing Circular Linked Lists

This variant connects the last node back to the first, making the list cyclical. It's perfect for things like music playlists, circular buffers, or certain types of simulations.

🧠 Going deeper into:

  • More advanced manipulations: reversing, merging, and sorting

  • Mini-challenges to reinforce my understanding and logic


🎯 Why I’m doing this:

My goal is to truly understand what happens under the hood in programming β€” not just use high-level tools, but master the fundamentals that drive them.
This journey through data structures is part of my long-term path into data science and AI. Writing about it helps me absorb it better and track my growth day by day.


πŸ“Œ If you're also learning data structures or exploring Python, feel free to connect. I'm sharing this journey not only for myself, but also to inspire and learn with others. πŸš€

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Dylan Johnson
Dylan Johnson