what is node in linked list

A node in a linked list is a small structure that holds a value and a link (pointer/reference) to another node, and many such nodes chained together form the linked list.

Quick Scoop: What is a Node in a Linked List?

Think of a linked list like a chain, and each link in that chain is a node.

Each node usually has two main parts:

• Data/value – the actual information stored (like an integer, string, object, etc.).

• Next pointer/reference – an address or reference to the next node in the sequence.

In the simplest (singly) linked list, each node only points to the next node.

In more advanced versions (like doubly linked lists), nodes can also have a pointer to the previous node.

How a Node Fits Inside a Linked List

A linked list is just a collection of these nodes connected through their pointers.

• The head is the first node in the list; it’s the entry point.

• The tail is the last node; its next pointer usually points to null, meaning “end of the list.”

• Every node “knows” only its own data and where the next node is, not the whole list.

So if you want to reach the 5th node, you start at the head and follow next pointers node by node until you get there.

Mini Example (Conceptual)

A simple singly linked list of three nodes with values 10 → 20 → 30 might look like this conceptually:

• Node 1: data = 10, next → Node 2
• Node 2: data = 20, next → Node 3
• Node 3: data = 30, next → null

In many languages, you’d see a node defined with fields like data and next (or value and next).

In short: a node is the basic building block of a linked list, holding some data and at least one pointer that links it into the chain.

TL;DR:
A node in a linked list is a small element that stores a value and a link to the next node, and linking many nodes together in this way forms the entire linked list.

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