Description: A linked list is a data structure that consists of a sequence of elements, each pointing to the next, allowing for efficient memory management. Unlike arrays, where elements are stored in contiguous memory locations, in a linked list, each element, known as a node, contains a value and a reference to the next node in the sequence. This characteristic allows linked lists to be dynamic, as they can grow and shrink in size without the need to relocate the entire structure, resulting in more efficient memory management. Linked lists can be singly linked, where each node points only to the next, or doubly linked, where each node has references to both the next and the previous node. This flexibility in memory management makes them ideal for applications where the amount of data may vary, such as in the implementation of stacks, queues, and other complex data structures. Additionally, linked lists allow for faster insertion and deletion operations compared to arrays, as they do not require the shifting of elements. However, their disadvantage lies in random access, which is less efficient compared to arrays, as one must traverse the list from the beginning to reach a specific node.
