Recursive insertion and traversal linked list

The task is to implement a singly linked list with two core functionalities using recursion:

Insertion: Insert a new node at the end of the linked list.

Traversal: Traverse the linked list and print the data stored in each node.

Example :

Input: Values to be inserted = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Output: 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4-> 5 -> NULL
Explanation : We have to first recursively insert each node with the given input value and then print the linked list recursively

Input: Values to be inserted = 7, 8, 4, 11, 44, 6
Output: 7 -> 8 -> 4 -> 11 -> 44 -> 6 -> NULL

Approach :

Define a Node class/struct with data and a reference to the next node. Implement a recursive function to insert a new node at the end of the list. Finally, use a recursive traversal function to print the data of each node in the list.

Follow the steps below to solve the problem:

1. Insert a Node: Write a function that adds a new node to the end of the list. If the list is empty, this new node becomes the first node. If the list already has nodes, the function will keep moving to the next node until it finds the last one, then adds the new node there.

2. Traverse the List: Write a function to go through each node in the list, starting from the first one. While traversing each node, it will print out the data stored in that node. This function will keep moving to the next node until it reaches the end of the list.

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

// C++ program to implement Recursive insertion and 
// traversal in a linked list 

#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

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

    Node(int new_data) {
        data = new_data;
        next = nullptr;
    }
};

// Function to insert a new node at the 
// end of linked list using recursion.
Node* insertEnd(Node* head, int data) {

    // If linked list is empty, create a new node
    if (head == nullptr) 
        return new Node(data);

    // If we have not reached the end, 
  	// keep traversing recursively
    head->next = insertEnd(head->next, data);
    return head;
}

// Function to traverse and print the linked list
// starting from the head node, recursively
void traverse(Node* head) {
    if (head == nullptr)
        return;

    cout << head->data << " ";
    
    // Recur for the remaining list
    traverse(head->next);
}

int main() {
  
    // Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    Node* head = nullptr;
    head = insertEnd(head, 1);
    head = insertEnd(head, 2);
    head = insertEnd(head, 3);
    head = insertEnd(head, 4);
    head = insertEnd(head, 5);

    traverse(head);
}

// C program to implement Recursive insertion and 
// traversal in a linked list 
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

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

struct Node* newNode(int new_data);

// Function to insert a new node at the 
// end of linked list using recursion.
struct Node* insertEnd(struct Node* head, int data) {

    // If linked list is empty, create a new node
    if (head == NULL) 
        return newNode(data);

    // If we have not reached the end, 
  	// keep traversing recursively
    head->next = insertEnd(head->next, data);
    return head;
}

// Function to traverse and print the linked list
// starting from the head node, recursively
void traverse(struct Node* head) {
    if (head == NULL) return;

    printf("%d ", head->data);
    
    // Recur for the remaining list
    traverse(head->next);
}
struct Node* newNode(int new_data) {
    struct Node* new_node = 
      (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct Node));
    new_node->data = new_data;
    new_node->next = NULL;
    return new_node;
}

int main() {
  
    // Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    struct Node* head = NULL;
    head = insertEnd(head, 1);
    head = insertEnd(head, 2);
    head = insertEnd(head, 3);
    head = insertEnd(head, 4);
    head = insertEnd(head, 5);

    traverse(head);

    return 0;
}

// Java program to implement Recursive insertion and 
// traversal in a linked list 
class Node {
    int data;
    Node next;

    Node(int new_data) {
        data = new_data;
        next = null;
    }
}

public class GfG {

    // Function to insert a new node at the 
    // end of linked list using recursion.
    static Node insertEnd(Node head, int data) {

        // If linked list is empty, create a new node
        if (head == null) 
            return new Node(data);

        // If we have not reached the end
      	// keep traversing recursively
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
        return head;
    }

    // Function to traverse and print the linked list
    // starting from the head node, recursively
    static void traverse(Node head) {
        if (head == null) return;
      
        System.out.print(head.data + " ");

        // Recur for the remaining list
        traverse(head.next);
    }
  
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      
        // Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
        Node head = null;
        head = insertEnd(head, 1);
        head = insertEnd(head, 2);
        head = insertEnd(head, 3);
        head = insertEnd(head, 4);
        head = insertEnd(head, 5);

        traverse(head);
    }
}

# Python program to implement Recursive insertion and 
# traversal in a linked list 

class Node:
    def __init__(self, new_data):
        self.data = new_data
        self.next = None

# Function to insert a new node at the 
# end of linked list using recursion.
def insert_end(head, data):

    # If linked list is empty, create a new node
    if head is None:
        return Node(data)

    # If we have not reached the end,
    # keep traversing recursively
    head.next = insert_end(head.next, data)
    return head

# Function to traverse and print the linked list
# starting from the head node, recursively
def traverse(head):
    if head is None:
        return

    print(head.data, end=" ")

    # Recur for the remaining list
    traverse(head.next)

if __name__ == "__main__":

    # Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    head = None
    head = insert_end(head, 1)
    head = insert_end(head, 2)
    head = insert_end(head, 3)
    head = insert_end(head, 4)
    head = insert_end(head, 5)

    traverse(head)

// C# program to implement Recursive insertion and 
// traversal in a linked list 

using System;

class Node {
    public int data;
    public Node next;

    public Node(int new_data) {
        data = new_data;
        next = null;
    }
}

class GfG {

    // Function to insert a new node at the 
    // end of linked list using recursion.
    static Node InsertEnd(Node head, int data) {

        // If linked list is empty, create a new node
        if (head == null) 
            return new Node(data);

        // If we have not reached the end,
      	// keep traversing recursively
        head.next = InsertEnd(head.next, data);
        return head;
    }

    // Function to traverse and print the linked list
    // starting from the head node, recursively
    static void Traverse(Node head) {
        if (head == null)
            return;

        Console.Write(head.data + " ");

        // Recur for the remaining list
        Traverse(head.next);
    }

    static void Main(string[] args) {
  
        // Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
        Node head = null;
        head = InsertEnd(head, 1);
        head = InsertEnd(head, 2);
        head = InsertEnd(head, 3);
        head = InsertEnd(head, 4);
        head = InsertEnd(head, 5);

        Traverse(head);
    }
}

// Javascript program to implement Recursive insertion and 
// traversal in a linked list 

class Node {
    constructor(new_data) {
        this.data = new_data;
        this.next = null;
    }
}

// Function to insert a new node at the 
// end of linked list using recursion.
function insertEnd(head, data) {

    // If linked list is empty, create a new node
    if (head === null) 
        return new Node(data);

    // If we have not reached the end,
    // keep traversing recursively
    head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
    return head;
}

// Function to traverse and print the linked list
// starting from the head node, recursively
function traverse(head) {
    if (head === null)
        return;
    console.log(head.data + " ");

    // Recur for the remaining list
    traverse(head.next);
}

// Insert nodes with data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
let head = null;
head = insertEnd(head, 1);
head = insertEnd(head, 2);
head = insertEnd(head, 3);
head = insertEnd(head, 4);
head = insertEnd(head, 5);

traverse(head);

1 2 3 4 5 

Time Complexity: O(n), to traverse the linked list of size n
Auxiliary Space: O(n), for recursion call stack

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Article Tags :

• DSA
• Linked List
• Recursion

Practice Tags :

• Linked List
• Recursion