Difference Between Array and Linked List

Array Vs Linked List

• Array and linked list are having 4 main difference....
1. Element Access
2. Memory Structure
3. Insertion / Deletion
4. Memory Allocation

Element Access

• Stack elements can be randomly Accessed using Subscript e.g array[0],array[1] can be randomly accessed.

• While In Linked List We have to Traverse Through the Linked List for Accessing Element. So O(n) Time required for Accessing Element.

• Generally In linked List Elements are accessed Sequentially.

Memory Structure

• Stack is stored in contiguous Memory Locations.

• Element is stored at any available Location , but the Pointer to that memory location is stored in Previous Node. 

Insertion / Deletion

• As the Array elements are stored in Consecutive memory Locations so insertion and deletion is allowed.

• In Linked List we have to Just Change the Pointer address field ,So Insertion and Deletion Operations are quite easy to implement.

Memory Allocation

• Memory Should be allocated at Compile-Time in Stack.

• In Linked list memory can be allocated at Run-Time.

• Stack uses Static Memory Allocation.

• Linked List Uses Dynamic Memory Allocation