Deletion in Singly Linked List in C++

What is deletion in singly linked list in C++?

Deletion in singly linked in C++ can be simplified as deleting a node from an already constructed linked list. We can perform three different types of deletion operations on a singly linked-

  • Deleting the beginning
  • Deletion from a specific position
  • Deletion from end
delete

Types of deletion in singly linked list

There can be two different approaches for deletion –

We will look at both of them in this page and understand how to code them.

Deletion in a Singly Linked List for a Value

Let’s have a look at the program

This method uses non-member function and explicit passing of head in the functions
Run
#include<iostream>
using namespace std;

class Node
{
    public:
    int data;
    Node *next;
};

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

    Node* new_node = new Node();

    new_node->data = data;
    new_node->next = *head;
    *head = new_node;
}
void deleteNode(Node** head, int delVal)
{
    Node* temp = *head;
    Node* previous;
    
    if(temp == NULL){
        cout << "Can't delete Linked List empty" << endl; 
        return; 
    } 

    // Case when there is only 1 node in the list 
    if(temp->next==NULL)
    {
        *head = NULL;
        free(temp);
        cout << "Deleted: " << delVal << endl; 
        return; 
    } // if the head node itself needs to be deleted 
    if(temp->data==delVal)
    {
        *head = temp->next; //changing head to next in the list
        cout << "Deleted: " << temp->data << endl; 
        free(temp); 
        return; 
    } 

    // traverse until we find the value to be deleted or LL ends 
    while (temp != NULL && temp->data != delVal) 
    { 
        // store previous link node as we need to change its next val
        previous = temp; 
        temp = temp->next; 
    }

    // if value is not present then
    // temp will have traversed to last node NULL
    if(temp==NULL)
    {
        cout << "Value not found" << endl; 
        return; 
    } 

    // for node to be deleted : temp lets call it nth node 
    // assign (n-1)th node's next to (n+1)th node 
    previous->next = temp->next;
    free(temp);
    cout << "Deleted: " << delVal << endl;
}
void display(Node* node){
    
    cout << "\nLinked List : " ;
    
    //as linked list will end when Node is Null
    while(node!=NULL){
        cout << node->data << " "; 
        node = node->next;
    }
    cout << endl;
}

int main(){

    Node* head = NULL;

    insert(&head, 1);
    insert(&head, 2);
    insert(&head, 3);
    insert(&head, 4);
    insert(&head, 5);
    insert(&head, 6);

    display(head);
    
    deleteNode(&head, 4);
    display(head);

    deleteNode(&head, 10);
    deleteNode(&head, 1);
    deleteNode(&head, 5);
    deleteNode(&head, 6);
    display(head);
    
    return 0;  
}

Output

Linked List : 6 5 4 3 2 1 
Deleted: 4

Linked List : 6 5 3 2 1 
Value not found
Deleted: 1
Deleted: 5
Deleted: 6

Linked List : 3 2

Deletion in a Singly Linked List in C++ (For a Position)

Deletion can be performed at the following positions –

Below we will write a program that will handle all the above cases in a single function, however, if you wish to write individual functions for each you can check the pages hyperlinked above.

This program works with concept of non member functions and explicit passing of head.
Run
#include< iostream>
using namespace std;

class Node
{
public:
  int data;
  Node *next;
};

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

  Node *new_node = new Node ();

  new_node->data = data;
  new_node->next = *head;
  *head = new_node;
}

int calcSize (Node * node)
{
  int size = 0;

  while (node != NULL)
    {
      node = node->next;
      size++;
    }
  return size;
}

void deletepos (Node ** head, int pos)
{
  Node *temp = *head;
  Node *previous;

  int size = calcSize (*head);

  if (pos < 1 || pos > size)
    {
      printf ("Enter valid position\n");

      return;
    }

  //if the head node itself needs to be deleted
  if (pos == 1)
    {
      //changing head to next in the list
      *head = temp->next;
      cout << "Deleted Item: " << temp->data << endl;
      free (temp);
      return;
      }//run until we find the value to be deleted in the list
      while (--pos) {  // store previous link node as we need to 
      previous = temp;
      temp = temp->next;
    }

  // (pos-1)th node's next assigned to (pos+1)nth node
  previous->next = temp->next;
  cout << "Deleted Item: " << temp->data << endl;

  free (temp);
}

void display (Node * node)
{
  cout << "\nLinked List : ";
  //as linked list will end when Node is Null
  while (node != NULL)
  {
      cout << node->data << " ";
      node = node->next;
    }
  cout << endl;
}

int main()
{

  Node *head = NULL;

  /*Need & i.e. address as we
     need to change head address
   */
  insert (&head, 10);
  insert (&head, 20);
  insert (&head, 30);
  insert (&head, 40);
  insert (&head, 50);
  insert (&head, 60);


  /*No need for & i.e. address as we do not
     need to change head address
   */
  display (head);

  deletepos(&head, 1);
  display (head);

  deletepos(&head, 3);
  display(head);

  deletepos(&head, 4);
  display(head);

  deletepos(&head, -2);	// not valid as pos negative
  deletepos(&head, 10);	// not valid as breaches size of Linked List


  return 0;
}

Output

Linked List : 60 50 40 30 20 10 
Deleted Item: 60

Linked List : 50 40 30 20 10 
Deleted Item: 30

Linked List : 50 40 20 10 
Deleted Item: 10

Linked List : 50 40 20 
Enter valid position
Enter valid position
Linked List in C++ meme 2

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