What is the difference between ArrayList and LinkedList

ArrayList and LinkedList are two commonly used implementations of the List interface in Java. They have different underlying data structures, which leads to various performance characteristics and use cases.

ArrayList, LinkedList, Java Collections, Performance, Data Structures
Comparing ArrayList and LinkedList in Java, highlighting their characteristics, performance implications, and best use cases.

ArrayList vs LinkedList

ArrayList: It is based on a dynamically resizable array. It provides fast random access to elements and is efficient for retrieval. However, inserting or deleting elements can be slow, as elements must be shifted.

LinkedList: This implementation is based on a doubly-linked list. It allows for efficient insertions and deletions, especially when the index of the operation is known. However, accessing elements is slower because it requires traversing nodes.

When to use ArrayList: Choose ArrayList for scenarios where fast access and iteration are required, and the size of the list isn't frequently changing.

When to use LinkedList: Use LinkedList when there are many insertions and deletions, particularly at the beginning or end of the list.

        <?php
        // Example of using ArrayList and LinkedList in Java
        import java.util.ArrayList;
        import java.util.LinkedList;

        // ArrayList example
        ArrayList<String> arrayList = new ArrayList<>();
        arrayList.add("Apple");
        arrayList.add("Banana");
        arrayList.add("Cherry");

        // Accessing elements
        System.out.println(arrayList.get(1)); // Output: Banana

        // LinkedList example
        LinkedList<String> linkedList = new LinkedList<>();
        linkedList.add("Dog");
        linkedList.add("Cat");
        linkedList.add("Mouse");

        // Accessing elements
        System.out.println(linkedList.get(2)); // Output: Mouse
        ?>
    

ArrayList LinkedList Java Collections Performance Data Structures