Disadvantages of circular link list as compared to singly link list?

Answer 1

As compared with doubly-linked lists, one disadvantage is that singly-linked lists can only be efficiently traversed in one direction. Finding the (n - 1)th element, given only a pointer to the nth, requires scanning the list from the first element up to the (n - 1)th. Thus (if memory is too limited to permit tricks such as creating a reversed list) to iterate over the entire list in reverse order would require n + (n - 1) + ... + 1 = n(n + 1)/2 link traversals, which grows quadratically with n. Obviously for a doubly-linked list the time merely grows linearly with n.

A down-side of all linked lists versus arrays is that random access can be inefficient; the time taken to find an element with a randomly chosen index grows in direct proportion to the list's length (since we must scan from one of the ends). In contrast, an array allows us to index directly to the elements with simple pointer arithmetic, in a time independent of the array's size - at least in an idealised environment.

Answer 2

The main disadvantage of using a linked list is that you lose the random access or direct access capability to a value in the list. To find a given value you have to traverse the list, which takes more time than an array.
One disadvantage of a linked list is that you cannot traverse it backwards. To mitigate this issue, you can use recursive programming or you can build a doubly linked list, at the cost of more storage and more processing. A common, non recursive, non doubly linked, algorithm to search a node and manipulate it is to walk through the list keeping two pointers, one to the node in question, and one to the prior node.

Answer 3

The disadvantages of circular link list as compared to singly link list are that the circular list has an extra pointer in each element, occupying space, and it requires more processing to insert or delete an element.

While not asked, the advantages are that the list can be walked in both directions and it is easier to insert or delete an element without knowing in advance the address of the previous element.

Answer 4

The disadvantages of a singly linked list are any of the attributes that are not advantages. With this in mind read your text book or course material to learn what are the advantages and disadvantages of a singly linked list. If you study you will find there is no going backwards, the only way is forwards.

Answer 5

wastage of memory

no random access

time complexity

heap space restriction