Algorithm
- Initialize two pointers, slow and fast, pointing to the head of the linked list.
- Traverse the linked list using a loop until either the fast pointer or the next of the fast pointer becomes null.
- In each iteration, move the slow pointer one step and the fast pointer two steps.
- If at any point the slow pointer and fast pointer meet (i.e., they point to the same node), it indicates the presence of a loop in the linked list.
- If the fast pointer reaches the end of the linked list (i.e., becomes null), it means there is no loop in the linked list.
Code Examples
#1 Code Example- Detect Loop in a LinkedList
Code -
Java Programming
class LinkedList {
// create an object of Node class
// represent the head of the linked list
Node head;
// static inner class
static class Node {
int value;
// connect each node to next node
Node next;
Node(int d) {
value = d;
next = null;
}
}
// check if loop is present
public boolean checkLoop() {
// create two references at start of LinkedList
Node first = head;
Node second = head;
while(first != null && first.next !=null) {
// move first reference by 2 nodes
first = first.next.next;
// move second reference by 1 node
second = second.next;
// if two references meet
// then there is a loop
if(first == second) {
return true;
}
}
return false;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
// create an object of LinkedList
LinkedList linkedList = new LinkedList();
// assign values to each linked list node
linkedList.head = new Node(1);
Node second = new Node(2);
Node third = new Node(3);
Node fourth = new Node(4);
// connect each node of linked list to next node
linkedList.head.next = second;
second.next = third;
third.next = fourth;
// make loop in LinkedList
fourth.next = second;
// printing node-value
System.out.print("LinkedList: ");
int i = 1;
while (i <= 4) {
System.out.print(linkedList.head.value + " ");
linkedList.head = linkedList.head.next;
i++;
}
// call method to check loop
boolean loop = linkedList.checkLoop();
if(loop) {
System.out.println("\nThere is a loop in LinkedList.");
}
else {
System.out.println("\nThere is no loop in LinkedList.">;
}
}
}
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Output
LinkedList: 1 2 3 4
There is a loop in LinkedList.
There is a loop in LinkedList.
Demonstration
Java Programing Example to Detect loop in a LinkedList-DevsEnv