Singly Linked List

A singly linked list is a type of linked list where each node contains a reference to the next node in the list, but not to the previous node. This means that it is only possible to traverse the list in one direction, from the head (first node) to the tail (last node). Singly linked lists are often used to implement stacks and queues, as they allow for efficient insertion and deletion of elements at the front of the list.

The time complexity of singly linked list operations depends on the specific operation being performed. Here is a summary of the time complexity of common singly linked list operations:

• Accessing an element by index: O(n), as the list must be traversed from the head to the desired element.
• Searching for an element: O(n), as the list must be traversed to find the element.
• Insertion at the beginning or end of the list: O(1), as the next field of the head or tail node can be adjusted to point to the new element.
• Insertion in the middle of the list: O(n), as the list must be traversed to find the appropriate position for the new element.
• Deletion at the beginning or end of the list: O(1), as the next field of the head or tail node can be adjusted to skip over the element being deleted.
• Deletion in the middle of the list: O(n), as the list must be traversed to find the element being deleted.

The space complexity of a singly linked list is O(n), as the list requires a separate node for each element being stored.

Overall, the time complexity of singly linked list operations can vary depending on the specific operation being performed, but the space complexity is always O(n).