juniorLinked Lists
Singly vs Doubly Linked List?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
Singly linked lists have one pointer (next); Doubly linked lists have two (next and previous).
Deep explanation
Linked lists are the foundation of dynamic data structures. Singly linked lists have one pointer (next); Doubly linked lists have two (next and previous). They provide O(1) insertion at the front, which is superior to O(n) in arrays.
Real-world example
Undo functionality in text editors.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to handle the case where the list is empty (Null check).
Follow-up questions
- What is the search complexity?