C Program for Deletion from beginning in doubly linked list

March 19, 2025

Deletion from starting node in doubly linked list

In this article we will learn C Program for Deletion from beginning in doubly linked list, the task is to delete the first node of the doubly linked list and assign head to the second node.In the doubly linked list we can traverse in both direction because it has two pointer next and previous to move in both directions.
For Example :-
Input : 61 4 77 10 32
Output : 4 77 10 32

C Program for Deletion from beginning in doubly linked list

Deletion From Beginning in Doubly Linked List

Implementation needed for deleting node in the doubly linked list

  • Firstly we have to delete the head node (start or first node) and copy the head node in a extra node.
  • And the task is make the second node as the head node.
  • Lastly we have to do is delete(free) the extra node.

How to made node Structure in the doubly linked list

struct node   
{  
    struct node *prev;   
    int data;  
    struct node *next;   
}
Deletion in Doubly Linked List in C

Singly Linked List in C

Deletion in singly Linked List

Doubly Linked List in C

Insertion in the middle in a doubly linked list

Circular Linked List in C

Algorithm require for deleting node from the beginning in the linked list

  • NOW IF HEAD = NULL (GO TO STEP 6)
  • ASSIGN POINTER = HEAD
  • ASSIGN HEAD = HEAD → NEXT
  • ASSIGN HEAD → PREVIOUS = NULL
  • THAN FREE OR DELETE POINTER
  • EXIT OR RETURN

C Program for Deletion From Beginning in a Doubly Linked List

Run 
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>

struct Node
{
  int data;
  struct Node *next;
  struct Node *prev;
};

void insert (struct Node **head, int data)
{

  struct Node *freshNode = (struct Node *) malloc (sizeof (struct Node));

  freshNode->data = data;
  freshNode->next = *head;
  freshNode->prev = NULL;

  // If the linked list already had atleast 1 node
  if (*head != NULL)
    (*head)->prev = freshNode;

  // freshNode will become head
  *head = freshNode;
}

void deleteFront (struct Node **head)
{
  struct Node *tempNode = *head;

  // if DLL is empty
  if (*head == NULL)
    {
      printf ("Linked List Empty, nothing to delete\n");
      return;
    }

  // if Linked List has only 1 node
  if (tempNode->next == NULL)
    {
      printf ("%d deleted\n\n", tempNode->data);
      *head = NULL;
      return;
    }

  // move head to next node
  *head = (*head)->next;
  // assign head node's previous to NULL
  (*head)->prev = NULL;

  printf ("%d deleted\n\n", tempNode->data);
  free (tempNode);
}


//function to print the doubly linked list
void display (struct Node *node)
{
  struct Node *end = NULL;

  printf ("List in Forward direction: ");
  while (node != NULL)
    {
      printf (" %d ", node->data);
      end = node;
      node = node->next;
    }


  printf ("\n\n");
}

int main ()
{
  struct Node *head = NULL;

  insert (&head, 7);
  insert (&head, 8);
  insert (&head, 9);
  insert (&head, 10);
  insert (&head, 11);
  insert (&head, 12);

  printf ("List Before Deletion: ");
  display (head);

  deleteFront (&head);
  printf ("List After Deletion: ");
  display (head);
  
  return 0;
}

Output

List Before Deletion: List in Forward direction:  12  11  10  9  8  7 

12 deleted

List After Deletion: List in Forward direction:  11  10  9  8  7