Data Structures — Unit 1 — Aside on Algorithms that don't use pointers to links

We can avoid using pointers to links if we wish.

This is particularly useful if you are using a programming language that does not allow pointers to pointers (e.g. Java).

Inserting a node at the head of the list is a special case, since you have to alter the head link, whereas any other insertions alter the "next" field of some Node object.

Here are our three examples:

Copying a list
Reading in a list of values
Inserting at an arbitrary position

To see versions that use pointers to links, follow this link.

I've rewritten each to eliminate the use of pointers to links.

In each case insertion at the head is a special case.