Remove the common nodes in two Singly Linked Lists

Given two Linked Lists L1 and L2, the task is to generate a new linked list with no common elements from the given two linked lists.

Example:

Input: L1 = 10 -> 15 -> 5 -> 20, L2 = 8 -> 5 -> 20 -> 10 
Output: 8 -> 15 
Explanation:
Since both the linked list has 5, 10 and 20 in common. Therefore these elements are removed and the resultant list is 8 -> 15.

Input: L1 = 0 -> 5 -> 52 -> 21, L2 = 21 -> 5 -> 0 -> 52 
Output: [ ] 
Explanation:
Since all the elements of the two given linked list are common. So the resultant linked is empty. 

Approach:

1. For each element(say X) in the first linked list: 
   • Traverse the second linked list and check if X is present in the linked list or not.
   • If X is not present, then insert X in the resultant linked list as it not common in both linked list.
2. For each element(say Y) in the second linked list: 
   • Traverse the first linked list and check if Y is present in the linked list or not.
   • If Y is not present, then insert Y in the resultant linked list as it not common in both linked list.
3. The resultant linked list will be the required linked list with no nodes common from the given two linked list.

Below is the implementation of the above approach: 

C++

// C++ program for the above approach

#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

// Link list node
struct Node {
    int data;
    struct Node* next;
};

// Function to print the element
// of the Linked List
void printList(struct Node* p)
{
    if (p == NULL) {
        cout << "[]";
    }

    while (p != NULL) {
        cout << p->data << " -> ";
        p = p->next;
    }
}

// Function to push the node at the
// beginning of the linked list
void push(struct Node** head_ref,
          int new_data)
{
    struct Node* new_node
        = (struct Node*)malloc(
            sizeof(struct Node));

    new_node->data = new_data;
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);
    (*head_ref) = new_node;
}

// Function to insert unique
// elements in the new LL
void traverse(struct Node** head3,
              struct Node* temp1,
              struct Node* temp2)
{

    // Traverse the first linked list
    while (temp1 != NULL) {

        // Value of current node
        int val = temp1->data;
        struct Node* t = temp2;
        int x = 0;

        // Traverse the second list
        while (t != NULL) {
            if (t->data == val) {
                x = 1;
                break;
            }
            t = t->next;
        }

        // If element is not common
        // then insert it in the
        // resultant linked list
        if (x == 0) {
            push(head3, temp1->data);
        }

        temp1 = temp1->next;
    }
}

// Function to remove the common nodes
// in two Singly Linked Lists
void removeCommonNodes(struct Node* head1,
                       struct Node* head2)
{

    // Head pointer for the resultant
    // linked list
    struct Node* head3 = NULL;

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head1 as
    // first linked list
    traverse(&head3, head1, head2);

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head2 as
    // first linked list
    traverse(&head3, head2, head1);

    // Print the resultant linked list
    printList(head3);
}

// Driver code
int main()
{
    // First list
    struct Node* head1 = NULL;
    push(&head1, 20);
    push(&head1, 5);
    push(&head1, 15);
    push(&head1, 10);

    // Second list
    struct Node* head2 = NULL;
    push(&head2, 10);
    push(&head2, 20);
    push(&head2, 15);
    push(&head2, 8);

    // Function call
    removeCommonNodes(head1, head2);

    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program for the above approach
class GFG{

// Link list node
static class Node {
    int data;
    Node next;
};

// Function to print the element
// of the Linked List
static void printList(Node p)
{
    if (p == null) {
        System.out.print("[]");
    }

    while (p != null) {
        System.out.print(p.data+ "->");
        p = p.next;
    }
}

// Function to push the node at the
// beginning of the linked list
static Node push(Node head_ref,
          int new_data)
{
    Node new_node = new Node();

    new_node.data = new_data;
    new_node.next = head_ref;
    head_ref = new_node;
    return head_ref;
}

// Function to insert unique
// elements in the new LL
static Node traverse(Node head3,
              Node temp1,
              Node temp2)
{

    // Traverse the first linked list
    while (temp1 != null) {

        // Value of current node
        int val = temp1.data;
        Node t = temp2;
        int x = 0;

        // Traverse the second list
        while (t != null) {
            if (t.data == val) {
                x = 1;
                break;
            }
            t = t.next;
        }

        // If element is not common
        // then insert it in the
        // resultant linked list
        if (x == 0) {
            head3 = push(head3, temp1.data);
        }

        temp1 = temp1.next;
    }
    return head3;
}

// Function to remove the common nodes
// in two Singly Linked Lists
static void removeCommonNodes(Node head1,
                       Node head2)
{

    // Head pointer for the resultant
    // linked list
    Node head3 = null;

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head1 as
    // first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head1, head2);

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head2 as
    // first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head2, head1);

    // Print the resultant linked list
    printList(head3);
}

// Driver code
public static void main(String[] args)
{
    // First list
    Node head1 = new Node();
    head1 = push(head1, 20);
    head1 = push(head1, 5);
    head1 = push(head1, 15);
    head1 = push(head1, 10);

    // Second list
    Node head2 = new Node();
    head2 = push(head2, 10);
    head2 = push(head2, 20);
    head2 = push(head2, 15);
    head2 = push(head2, 8);

    // Function call
    removeCommonNodes(head1, head2);
}
}

// This code is contributed by sapnasingh4991

Python3

# Python3 program for the above approach

# Link list node
class Node:

    def __init__(self):

        self.data = 0
        self.next = None

# Function to print the element
# of the Linked List
def printList(p):

    if (p == None):
        print('[]', end = '')

    while (p != None):
        print(p.data, end = ' -> ')
        p = p.next

# Function to push the node at the
# beginning of the linked list
def push(head_ref, new_data):

    new_node = Node()
    new_node.data = new_data
    new_node.next = (head_ref)
    (head_ref) = new_node

    return head_ref

# Function to insert unique
# elements in the new LL
def traverse(head3, temp1, temp2):

    # Traverse the first linked list
    while (temp1 != None):

        # Value of current node
        val = temp1.data
        t = temp2
        x = 0

        # Traverse the second list
        while (t != None):
            if (t.data == val):
                x = 1
                break

            t = t.next

        # If element is not common
        # then insert it in the
        # resultant linked list
        if (x == 0):
            head3 = push(head3, temp1.data)

        temp1 = temp1.next

    return head3

# Function to remove the common nodes
# in two Singly Linked Lists
def removeCommonNodes(head1, head2):

    # Head pointer for the resultant
    # linked list
    head3 = None

    # Find the node common between
    # linked list taking head1 as
    # first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head1, head2)

    # Find the node common between
    # linked list taking head2 as
    # first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head2, head1)

    # Print the resultant linked list
    printList(head3)

# Driver code
if __name__=='__main__':

    # First list
    head1 = None
    head1 = push(head1, 20)
    head1 = push(head1, 5)
    head1 = push(head1, 15)
    head1 = push(head1, 10)

    # Second list
    head2 = None
    head2 = push(head2, 10)
    head2 = push(head2, 20)
    head2 = push(head2, 15)
    head2 = push(head2, 8)

    # Function call
    removeCommonNodes(head1, head2)

# This code is contributed by rutvik_56

C#

// C# program for the above approach
using System;

class GFG{

// Link list node
class Node {
    public int data;
    public Node next;
};

// Function to print the element
// of the Linked List
static void printList(Node p)
{
    if (p == null) {
        Console.Write("[]");
    }

    while (p != null) {
        Console.Write(p.data+ "->");
        p = p.next;
    }
}

// Function to push the node at the
// beginning of the linked list
static Node push(Node head_ref,
          int new_data)
{
    Node new_node = new Node();

    new_node.data = new_data;
    new_node.next = head_ref;
    head_ref = new_node;
    return head_ref;
}

// Function to insert unique
// elements in the new LL
static Node traverse(Node head3,
              Node temp1,
              Node temp2)
{

    // Traverse the first linked list
    while (temp1 != null) {

        // Value of current node
        int val = temp1.data;
        Node t = temp2;
        int x = 0;

        // Traverse the second list
        while (t != null) {
            if (t.data == val) {
                x = 1;
                break;
            }
            t = t.next;
        }

        // If element is not common
        // then insert it in the
        // resultant linked list
        if (x == 0) {
            head3 = push(head3, temp1.data);
        }

        temp1 = temp1.next;
    }
    return head3;
}

// Function to remove the common nodes
// in two Singly Linked Lists
static void removeCommonNodes(Node head1,
                       Node head2)
{

    // Head pointer for the resultant
    // linked list
    Node head3 = null;

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head1 as
    // first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head1, head2);

    // Find the node common between
    // linked list taking head2 as
    // first linked list
    head3 = traverse(head3, head2, head1);

    // Print the resultant linked list
    printList(head3);
}

// Driver code
public static void Main(String[] args)
{
    // First list
    Node head1 = new Node();
    head1 = push(head1, 20);
    head1 = push(head1, 5);
    head1 = push(head1, 15);
    head1 = push(head1, 10);

    // Second list
    Node head2 = new Node();
    head2 = push(head2, 10);
    head2 = push(head2, 20);
    head2 = push(head2, 15);
    head2 = push(head2, 8);

    // Function call
    removeCommonNodes(head1, head2);
}
}

// This code is contributed by PrinciRaj1992

Javascript

<script>
// javascript program for the above approach    // Link list node
class Node {
    constructor() {
        this.data = 0;
        this.next = null;
    }
}
    // Function to print the element
    // of the Linked List
    function printList(p) {
        if (p == null) {
            document.write("");
        }

        while (p != null) {
            document.write(p.data + "->");
            p = p.next;
        }
    }

    // Function to push the node at the
    // beginning of the linked list
    function push(head_ref , new_data) {
var new_node = new Node();

        new_node.data = new_data;
        new_node.next = head_ref;
        head_ref = new_node;
        return head_ref;
    }

    // Function to insert unique
    // elements in the new LL
    function traverse(head3,  temp1,  temp2) {

        // Traverse the first linked list
        while (temp1 != null) {

            // Value of current node
            var val = temp1.data;
    var t = temp2;
            var x = 0;

            // Traverse the second list
            while (t != null) {
                if (t.data == val) {
                    x = 1;
                    break;
                }
                t = t.next;
            }

            // If element is not common
            // then insert it in the
            // resultant linked list
            if (x == 0) {
                head3 = push(head3, temp1.data);
            }

            temp1 = temp1.next;
        }
        return head3;
    }

    // Function to remove the common nodes
    // in two Singly Linked Lists
    function removeCommonNodes(head1,  head2) {

        // Head pointer for the resultant
        // linked list
var head3 = null;

        // Find the node common between
        // linked list taking head1 as
        // first linked list
        head3 = traverse(head3, head1, head2);

        // Find the node common between
        // linked list taking head2 as
        // first linked list
        head3 = traverse(head3, head2, head1);

        // Print the resultant linked list
        printList(head3);
    }

    // Driver code

        // First list
var head1 = new Node();
        head1 = push(head1, 20);
        head1 = push(head1, 5);
        head1 = push(head1, 15);
        head1 = push(head1, 10);

        // Second list
var head2 = new Node();
        head2 = push(head2, 10);
        head2 = push(head2, 20);
        head2 = push(head2, 15);
        head2 = push(head2, 8);

        // Function call
        removeCommonNodes(head1, head2);

// This code contributed by aashish1995
</script>

Output:

8 -> 5 ->

Time Complexity: O(M * N), where M and N are the lengths of the two given linked list.

Auxiliary Space: O(1) because it is using constant space