Linked List
In plain terms
A sequence of nodes where each points to the next.
Going deeper
A linked list stores elements as nodes connected by pointers, allowing fast insertion and deletion but slow indexed access. It trades random access for flexible resizing.
Under the hood
O(1) insert/delete at a known node but O(n) search; variants include doubly-linked and circular lists. Poor cache locality versus arrays.
Examples
Implementing queues/stacks, LRU caches, adjacency lists, undo histories.
Think of it like...
Like a scavenger hunt where each clue points to the location of the next.