Circular Linked List
Circular Linked List
Aim: Write a program that uses functions to perform the following operations on circular
linked List
(i) Creation (ii) Insertion (iii) Deletion (iv) Traversal.
Description:
Circular Linked List
In single linked list, every node points to its next node in the sequence and the last node points
NULL. But in circular linked list, every node points to its next node in the sequence but the last
node points to the first node in the list.
A circular linked list is a sequence of elements in which every element has a link to its next
element in the sequence and the last element has a link to the first element.
That means circular linked list is similar to the single linked list except that the last node points
to the first node in the list
Example:
Operations
In a circular linked list, we perform the following operations...
1. Creation
2. Insertion
3. Deletion
4. Display
1. Creation
2. Insertion
In a circular linked list, the insertion operation can be performed in three ways. They are as
follows...
Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with 'head'.
Step 5 - Keep moving the 'temp' to its next node until it reaches to the last node (until
'temp → next == head').
Step 6 - Set 'newNode → next =head', 'head = newNode' and 'temp → next = head'.
Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode and newNode → next = head.
Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the last node in the list
(until temp → next == head).
Step 3 - If it is Empty then, set head = newNode and newNode → next = head.
Step 4 - If it is Not Empty then, define a node pointer temp and initialize with head.
Step 5 - Keep moving the temp to its next node until it reaches to the node after which
we want to insert the newNode (until temp1 → data is equal to location,
here location is the node value after which we want to insert the newNode).
Step 6 - Every time check whether temp is reached to the last node or not. If it is reached
to last node then display 'Given node is not found in the list!!! Insertion not
possible!!!' and terminate the function. Otherwise move the temp to next node.
Step 7 - If temp is reached to the exact node after which we want to insert the newNode
Step 8 - If temp is last node then set temp → next = newNode and newNode →
next = head.
Step 9 - If temp is not last node then set newNode → next = temp → next and temp →
next = newNode.
3. Deletion
In a circular linked list, the deletion operation can be performed in three ways those are as
follows...
Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and
terminate the function.
Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and
initialize both 'temp1' and 'temp2' with head.
Step 4 - Check whether list is having only one node (temp1 → next == head)
Step 5 - If it is TRUE then set head = NULL and delete temp1 (Setting Empty list
conditions)
Step 6 - If it is FALSE move the temp1 until it reaches to the last node.
Step 7 - Then set head = temp2 → next, temp1 → next = head and delete temp2.
Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and
Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2' and
Step 4 - Check whether list has only one Node (temp1 → next == head)
Step 5 - If it is TRUE. Then, set head = NULL and delete temp1. And terminate from
Step 6 - If it is FALSE. Then, set 'temp2 = temp1 ' and move temp1 to its next node.
Repeat the same until temp1 reaches to the last node in the list. (until temp1 →
next == head)
Step 2 - If it is Empty then, display 'List is Empty!!! Deletion is not possible' and
terminate the function.
Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define two Node pointers 'temp1' and 'temp2'
Step 4 - Keep moving the temp1 until it reaches to the exact node to be deleted or to
the last node. And every time set 'temp2 = temp1' before moving the 'temp1'
Step 5 - If it is reached to the last node then display 'Given node not found in the list!
Step 6 - If it is reached to the exact node which we want to delete, then check whether
Step 7 - If list has only one node and that is the node to be deleted then
Step 8 - If list contains multiple nodes then check whether temp1 is the first node in the
Step 9 - If temp1 is the first node then set temp2 = head and keep moving temp2 to its
next node until temp2 reaches to the last node. Then set head = head →
Step 10 - If temp1 is not first node then check whether it is last node in the list
Step 1 1- If temp1 is last node then set temp2 → next = head and
Step 12 - If temp1 is not first node and not last node then set
We can use the following steps to display the elements of a circular linked list...
Step 2 - If it is Empty, then display 'List is Empty!!!' and terminate the function.
Step 3 - If it is Not Empty then, define a Node pointer 'temp' and initialize with head.
Step 4 - Keep displaying temp → data with an arrow (--->) until temp reaches to the
last node
Step 5 - Finally display temp → data with arrow pointing to head → data.