Functionality of Linked Lists

I understand the mechanics of simple linked lists, but the only functionality for them that I have seen exemplified is that of sorting values(e.g., input 13, 4, 8, output 4,8,13). I know that there must be some much more powerful function that LL's can serve, but what?

Thanks.

They are great for things that dynamically resize themselves, like strings that can grow, shrink, be cut up, etc.

Oh okay, cool, but could you possibly explain what you mean by "cutting up" strings? Thanks.

Parsing a string. I.e. taking "This is a string" and turning it into several strings. ("This", "This is a", Thi", "a stri" etc)

Ahh yes I had suspected that one could do this, but how exactly?

Originally posted by MisterWonderful
Ahh yes I had suspected that one could do this, but how exactly?

dont you think your are jumping from one topic to the other...


Answerinf your original questions:-


Linked lists are used in Databases in the form as B Trees or B+ trees... Without them the database would be really slow... Now dont ask him how B trees are used in Databases

Haha sorry I suppose I am too curious for my own good

>I suppose I am too curious for my own good
There's no such thing when it comes to computers. But if you haven't worked with linked data structures much, you'll have a lot of trouble with B-trees. So I agree with vasanth.

To answer your original question you would use a variant of a linked list if you need a data structure that can grow and shrink efficiently from anywhere in the data set, can be restructured with minimal effort, and (usually, but not always) can be searched efficiently.