`Node` Class Overview

Contents

Node Class Overview
- Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Node class is the building block in the architecture of linked lists. Each node consists of two primary components:

Data member variable (DATA): - It stores the actual content of the node, it specifically stores string data.
Pointer to Next Node (NEXT): - This pointer establishes the link or connection between nodes within the linked list, It points to the memory address of the next node in the sequence, allowing traversal through the list.

In addition, the class provides a constructor that initializes the DATA with an empty string ("") and sets the NEXT pointer to nullptr, indicating no connection to another node.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is the data type of NEXT Node?
- The data type of NEXT is Node to adhere to the principle that pointers should align with the data type they reference. In this context, NEXT points to an object of type Node, as it's created by the Node class.
Why is NEXT initialized as nullptr instead of NULL?
- NEXT is initialized as nullptr to represents a null pointer value. While both nullptr and NULL represent this role, nullptr is type-safe and distinct from integer types, providing better type checking and compatibility with modern C++ features.
What is #pragma once at the head of the file?
- #pragma once is a preprocessor directive that ensures a header file is included only once during compilation. It serves the same purpose as traditional include guards (#ifndef, #define, #endif), but with fewer lines of code and improved compile speed. It helps prevent issues like circular dependencies and reduces the likelihood of name clashes.