Hey Dev.to folks! ๐
Want to know how many nodes are in your doubly linked list? Look no further: here comes the size() method.
๐ Quick Doubly Linked List Recap:
Hereโs our foundational setup:
class Node {
int data;
Node next;
Node prev;
// Constructor to initialize the node
Node(int data) {
this.data = data;
this.next = null;
this.prev = null;
}
}
class DoublyLinkedList {
Node head;
Node tail;
// Constructor to initialize the doubly linked list
DoublyLinkedList() {
this.head = null;
this.tail = null;
}
}
Remember, in a doubly linked list, each node knows about its next and previous node. ๐
๐งฎ Breaking Down size():
Let's get counting:
public int size() {
int count = 0; // Initialize the counter to zero
Node current = head; // Start at the beginning of the list
while (current != null) {
count++; // Increase the counter for each node
current = current.next; // Move to the next node in the list
}
return count; // Return the total number of nodes
}
The gist is simple: start at the head, traverse the list, and count each node until you reach the end.
๐ Why size() Matters:
Knowing the size of your list can be essential, especially when you're adding, removing, or accessing elements.
๐ In Conclusion:
The size() method is a basic but essential tool for managing a doubly linked list. ๐
In the next article we will look at isEmpty() method
Cheers and happy coding! ๐
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