How is an Array different from Linked List?

Data Structure > Linked List > Linked List Introduction

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Answer:

The size of the arrays is fixed, Linked Lists are Dynamic in size.
Inserting and deleting a new element in an array of elements is expensive, Whereas both insertion and deletion can easily be done in Linked Lists.
Random access is not allowed in Linked Listed.
Extra memory space for a pointer is required with each element of the Linked list.
Arrays have better cache locality that can make a pretty big difference in performance.

Here is a table comparing arrays and linked lists:

	Array	Linked List
Definition	A collection of elements of the same data type, stored in contiguous memory locations	A collection of elements of the same data type, where each element points to the next element in the list
Memory Allocation	Memory allocation is static and fixed at compile time	Memory allocation is dynamic and can be changed during runtime
Access Time	Elements are accessed by their index, and the access time is O(1)	Elements are accessed by traversing the list from the beginning or end, and the access time is O(n)
Insertion and Deletion	Insertion and deletion operations can be slow because all elements after the insertion or deletion point have to be shifted over	Insertion and deletion operations are efficient because only the affected elements need to be modified
Memory Usage	Array size is fixed and predetermined, even if not all elements are used	Linked lists can use memory more efficiently because they only use memory for the elements that are actually in the list
Sorting	Sorting is efficient for small arrays, but less efficient for large arrays	Sorting can be less efficient for linked lists because they require traversing the list multiple times

In summary, arrays and linked lists have different strengths and weaknesses, and their use depends on the specific needs of the application. Arrays are efficient for random access, while linked lists are efficient for dynamic memory allocation and efficient insertion and deletion operations.

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