Linked List vs Array

When considering data structures for storing and manipulating data, linked lists and arrays are two common options. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, making them suitable for different use cases.

Arrays

Arrays are a fundamental data structure that allows for efficient storage and processing of elements. Here are some characteristics of arrays:

• Random Access: Arrays provide constant-time access to elements since they are stored in contiguous memory locations. This means you can access any element by its index in O(1) time.
• Fixed Size: Arrays have a fixed size determined during initialization. Once created, the size cannot be changed.
• Efficient for Iteration: Arrays are efficient for iterating over elements sequentially.

Here is an example of working with arrays in Python:

1numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
2
3# Accessing the element at index 2
4element = numbers[2]
5print(f"Element at index 2: {element}")
6
7# Updating the element at index 3
8numbers[3] = 10
9
10# Inserting an element at the beginning
11numbers.insert(0, 0)
12
13# Deleting the element at index 4
14numbers.pop(4)
15
16# Printing all elements
17for num in numbers:
18    print(num, end=" ")
19print()

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#include <iostream>

#include <vector>

​

int main() {

  std::vector<int> myVector = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};

​

  // Accessing the element at index 2

  int element = myVector[2];

  std::cout << "Element at index 2: " << element << std::endl;

​

  // Updating the element at index 3

  myVector[3] = 10;

​

  // Inserting an element at the beginning

  myVector.insert(myVector.begin(), 0);

​

  // Deleting the element at index 4

  myVector.erase(myVector.begin() + 4);

​

  // Printing all elements

  for (int i : myVector) {

    std::cout << i << " ";

  }

  std::cout << std::endl;

​

  return 0;

}