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Recursive insertion and traversal linked list

  • Difficulty Level : Medium
  • Last Updated : 30 Nov, 2021

We have discussed different methods of linked list insertion. How to recursively create a linked list?

Recursively inserting at the end: 
To create a Linked list using recursion follow these steps. Below steps insert a new node recursively at the end of linked list.  

C++




// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == NULL)
         return newNode(data);
 
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
        head->next = insertEnd(head->next, data);
    return head;
}
Java



// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == null)
         return newNode(data);
  
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
   
    return head;
}
 
// This code is contributed by rutvik_56
Python3



# Function to insert a new node at the
# end of linked list using recursion.
def insertEnd(head, data):
   
    # If linked list is empty, create a
    # new node (Assuming newNode() allocates
    # a new node with given data)
    if (head == None):
        return newNode(data)
  
    # If we have not reached end,
    # keep traversing recursively.
    else:
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data)
         
    return head
 
# This code is contributed by divyeshrabadiya07
C#



// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates 
    // a new node with given data) 
    if (head == null) 
        return newNode(data); 
   
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing 
    // recursively. 
    else
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data); 
   
    return head; 
}
 
// This code is contributed by divyesh072019
Javascript



<script>
 
// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == null)
    {
        return newNode(data);
    }
 
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
    {
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
    }
    return head;
}
 
// This code is contributed by shubhamsingh10
 
</script>
Recursively traversing the list: 
The idea is simple, we print current node and recur for remaining list.  
C++



void traverse(Node* head)
{
    if (head == NULL)
       return;
     
    // If head is not NULL, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list  
    cout << head->data << " ";
 
    traverse(head->next);
}
Java



static void traverse(Node head)
{
    if (head == null)
    return;
     
    // If head is not null, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list
    System.out.print( head.data + " ");
 
    traverse(head.next);
}
 
// This code is contributed by SUBHAMSINGH10
Python3



def traverse(head):
    if (head == None):
        return
      
    # If head is not None, print current node
    # and recur for remaining list
    print(head.data, end = " ");
    traverse(head.next)
     
    # This code is contributed by Pratham76
C#



static void traverse(Node head)
{
    if (head == null)
    return;
     
    // If head is not null, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list
    Console.Write(head.data + " ");
 
    traverse(head.next);
}
 
Complete Program: 
Below is complete program to demonstrate working of insert and traverse a linked list. 
C++



// Recursive C++ program to recursively insert
// a node and recursively print the list.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
struct Node {
    int data;
    Node* next;
};
 
// Allocates a new node with given data
Node *newNode(int data)
{
    Node *new_node = new Node;
    new_node->data = data;
    new_node->next = NULL;
    return new_node;
}
 
// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == NULL)
         return newNode(data);
 
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
        head->next = insertEnd(head->next, data);
    return head;
}
 
void traverse(Node* head)
{
    if (head == NULL)
       return;
     
    // If head is not NULL, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list  
    cout << head->data << " ";
 
    traverse(head->next);
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    Node* head = NULL;
    head = insertEnd(head, 6);
    head = insertEnd(head, 8);
    head = insertEnd(head, 10);
    head = insertEnd(head, 12);
    head = insertEnd(head, 14);
    traverse(head);
}
Java



// Recursive Java program to recursively insert
// a node and recursively print the list.
class GFG
{
     
static class Node
{
    int data;
    Node next;
};
 
// Allocates a new node with given data
static Node newNode(int data)
{
    Node new_node = new Node();
    new_node.data = data;
    new_node.next = null;
    return new_node;
}
 
// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == null)
        return newNode(data);
 
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
    return head;
}
 
static void traverse(Node head)
{
    if (head == null)
    return;
     
    // If head is not null, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list
    System.out.print( head.data + " ");
 
    traverse(head.next);
}
 
// Driver code
public static void main(String args[])
{
    Node head = null;
    head = insertEnd(head, 6);
    head = insertEnd(head, 8);
    head = insertEnd(head, 10);
    head = insertEnd(head, 12);
    head = insertEnd(head, 14);
    traverse(head);
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by andrew1234
Python3



# Recursive Python3 program to
# recursively insert a node and
# recursively print the list.
import math
 
class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.next = None
 
# Allocates a new node with given data
def newNode(data):
    new_node = Node(data)
    new_node.data = data
    new_node.next = None
    return new_node
 
# Function to insert a new node at the
# end of linked list using recursion.
def insertEnd(head, data):
     
    # If linked list is empty, create a
    # new node (Assuming newNode() allocates
    # a new node with given data)
    if (head == None):
        return newNode(data)
 
    # If we have not reached end,
    # keep traversing recursively.
    else:
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data)
    return head
 
def traverse(head):
    if (head == None):
        return
     
    # If head is not None, print current node
    # and recur for remaining list
    print(head.data, end = " ");
    traverse(head.next)
 
# Driver code
if __name__=='__main__':
    head = None
    head = insertEnd(head, 6)
    head = insertEnd(head, 8)
    head = insertEnd(head, 10)
    head = insertEnd(head, 12)
    head = insertEnd(head, 14)
    traverse(head)
 
# This code is contributed by sapna singh
C#



// Recursive C# program to recursively insert
// a node and recursively print the list.
using System;
 
class GFG
{
     
public class Node
{
    public int data;
    public Node next;
};
 
// Allocates a new node with given data
static Node newNode(int data)
{
    Node new_node = new Node();
    new_node.data = data;
    new_node.next = null;
    return new_node;
}
 
// 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
    // a new node with given data)
    if (head == null)
        return newNode(data);
 
    // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
    // recursively.
    else
        head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
    return head;
}
 
static void traverse(Node head)
{
    if (head == null)
    return;
     
    // If head is not null, print current node
    // and recur for remaining list
    Console.Write(head.data + " ");
 
    traverse(head.next);
}
 
// Driver code
public static void Main(String []args)
{
    Node head = null;
    head = insertEnd(head, 6);
    head = insertEnd(head, 8);
    head = insertEnd(head, 10);
    head = insertEnd(head, 12);
    head = insertEnd(head, 14);
    traverse(head);
}
}
 
// This code is contributed by 29AjayKumar
Javascript



<script>
    // Recursive Javascript program to recursively insert
    // a node and recursively print the list.
     
    class Node
    {
        constructor(data) {
           this.next = null;
           this.data = data;
        }
    }
     
    // Allocates a new node with given data
    function newNode(data)
    {
        let new_node = new Node(data);
        return new_node;
    }
 
    // 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 (Assuming newNode() allocates
        // a new node with given data)
        if (head == null)
            return newNode(data);
 
        // If we have not reached end, keep traversing
        // recursively.
        else
            head.next = insertEnd(head.next, data);
        return head;
    }
 
    function traverse(head)
    {
        if (head == null)
            return;
 
        // If head is not null, print current node
        // and recur for remaining list
        document.write(head.data + " ");
 
        traverse(head.next);
    }
     
    let head = null;
    head = insertEnd(head, 6);
    head = insertEnd(head, 8);
    head = insertEnd(head, 10);
    head = insertEnd(head, 12);
    head = insertEnd(head, 14);
    traverse(head);
 
// This code is contributed by mukesh07.
</script>
Output: 
6 8 10 12 14
This article is contributed by AMIT KUMAR. If you like GeeksforGeeks and would like to contribute, you can also write an article using write.geeksforgeeks.org or mail your article to review-team@geeksforgeeks.org. See your article appearing on the GeeksforGeeks main page and help other Geeks.
Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above.
 

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