Advantages and Disadvantages of LinkedList and ArrayList in Java

LinkedList and ArrayList are two different types of lists in Java. They both store a collection of elements, but they work in different ways.

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ArrayList is like a dynamic array that can grow and shrink as needed. It is very fast when you need to access an element randomly, but it's slower when you need to add or remove elements in the middle of the list.

LinkedList, on the other hand, is like a chain of elements where each element points to the next one. It is slower when you need to access an element randomly, but it's faster when you need to add or remove elements in the middle of the list.

ArrayList Advantages:

  • ArrayList is very fast when you need to access an element randomly because the elements are stored in contiguous memory locations.
  • ArrayList uses less memory than LinkedList because it does not need to store references to the next and previous elements.
  • ArrayList is a good choice when you need to access elements more frequently than you need to add or remove elements.

ArrayList Disadvantages:

  • Adding or removing elements in the middle of the list is slower in ArrayList.
  • ArrayList is not a good choice when you need to add or remove elements frequently, especially if the list is very large.

LinkedList Advantages:

  • Adding or removing elements in the middle of the list is faster in LinkedList because you only need to change the references to the adjacent elements, and no shifting is required.
  • LinkedList is a good choice when you need to add or remove elements frequently, especially if the list is very large.

LinkedList Disadvantages:

  • LinkedList is slower when you need to access an element randomly because you need to follow the references to each element in order to find the one you're looking for.
  • LinkedList uses more memory than ArrayList because it needs to store references to the next and previous elements.

In summary, ArrayList is faster when you need to access elements randomly, and uses less memory, but it's slower when you need to add or remove elements in the middle. LinkedList, on the other hand, is faster when you need to add or remove elements in the middle, but it's slower when you need to access elements randomly, and uses more memory.

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