C Academy · Lesson

Insertion and Deletion

Modify the list.

Insertion and Deletion is a free C Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Modifying a list

The strength of linked lists is cheap insertion and deletion. You rearrange pointers instead of shifting elements like in an array.

This lesson covers inserting and removing nodes at various positions.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(2);
    printf("start: %d\n", head->value);
    free(head);
    return 0;
}

Insert at the front

Inserting at the head is O(1). Make a new node, point its next at the current head, then update the head to the new node.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(2);
    struct Node *fresh = make(1);
    fresh->next = head;
    head = fresh;
    printf("%d -> %d\n", head->value, head->next->value);
    return 0;
}

Why pass a double pointer

To change the head from inside a function, you must pass its address: a struct Node **.

Otherwise the function only modifies a local copy and the caller's head stays unchanged.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void push(struct Node **head, int v) {
    struct Node *n = make(v);
    n->next = *head;
    *head = n;
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = NULL;
    push(&head, 5);
    push(&head, 4);
    printf("%d %d\n", head->value, head->next->value);
    return 0;
}

Insert at the end

Appending requires walking to the last node, then attaching the new one to its next.

If the list is empty, the new node becomes the head.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void append(struct Node **head, int v) {
    struct Node *n = make(v);
    if (!*head) { *head = n; return; }
    struct Node *p = *head;
    while (p->next) p = p->next;
    p->next = n;
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = NULL;
    append(&head, 1); append(&head, 2);
    printf("%d %d\n", head->value, head->next->value);
    return 0;
}

Insert after a node

To insert in the middle, find the node you want to insert after, then splice the new node between it and its current successor.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void insert_after(struct Node *node, int v) {
    struct Node *n = make(v);
    n->next = node->next;
    node->next = n;
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(1);
    head->next = make(3);
    insert_after(head, 2);
    printf("%d %d %d\n", head->value, head->next->value, head->next->next->value);
    return 0;
}

Order of operations matters

When splicing, always set the new node's next before changing the previous node's next.

If you do it the other way, you lose the reference to the rest of the list.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *a = make(1), *c = make(3);
    a->next = c;
    struct Node *b = make(2);
    b->next = a->next;
    a->next = b;
    printf("%d %d %d\n", a->value, b->value, c->value);
    return 0;
}

Delete the first node

Removing the head means saving it, advancing the head to head->next, then freeing the old head.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void pop(struct Node **head) {
    if (!*head) return;
    struct Node *old = *head;
    *head = old->next;
    free(old);
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(1);
    head->next = make(2);
    pop(&head);
    printf("new head: %d\n", head->value);
    free(head);
    return 0;
}

Delete by value

To remove a node with a given value, track the previous node so you can bypass the target by setting prev->next = target->next.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void del(struct Node **head, int v) {
    struct Node *cur = *head, *prev = NULL;
    while (cur && cur->value != v) { prev = cur; cur = cur->next; }
    if (!cur) return;
    if (prev) prev->next = cur->next; else *head = cur->next;
    free(cur);
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(1);
    head->next = make(2);
    head->next->next = make(3);
    del(&head, 2);
    printf("%d %d\n", head->value, head->next->value);
    return 0;
}

Handle the head case

Deletion has a special case when the target is the head: there is no previous node, so you update the head pointer directly.

The double pointer makes this clean, as shown above.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = make(1);
    head->next = make(2);
    struct Node *old = head;
    head = head->next;
    free(old);
    printf("head now %d\n", head->value);
    free(head);
    return 0;
}

Avoid memory leaks

Every node you remove from the list must be freed. Dropping a node without freeing it leaks the memory it occupied.

Likewise, never free a node while it is still linked, or you create a dangling pointer.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *n = make(7);
    free(n);
    printf("node freed, no leak\n");
    return 0;
}

Insertion keeps order optional

Inserting in sorted order is a common variant: walk until you find the spot where the value fits, then splice it in there.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

struct Node { int value; struct Node *next; };
struct Node *make(int v){struct Node*n=malloc(sizeof*n);n->value=v;n->next=NULL;return n;}

void insert_sorted(struct Node **head, int v) {
    struct Node *n = make(v);
    if (!*head || (*head)->value >= v) { n->next = *head; *head = n; return; }
    struct Node *p = *head;
    while (p->next && p->next->value < v) p = p->next;
    n->next = p->next; p->next = n;
}

int main(void) {
    struct Node *head = NULL;
    insert_sorted(&head, 3);
    insert_sorted(&head, 1);
    insert_sorted(&head, 2);
    for (struct Node *p = head; p; p = p->next) printf("%d ", p->value);
    printf("\n");
    return 0;
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of list modification.

Recap

You learned to insert and delete nodes:

Insert at front is O(1); appending or inserting in order requires walking.
Use a double pointer when the head may change.
Splice carefully: set the new node's next before relinking.
Track the previous node for deletion, and always free removed nodes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Insertion and Deletion” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Insertion and Deletion” is free to read here on the web, and the C Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Insertion and Deletion”?

Modify the list. You practise C Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start C Academy?

No prior experience is required. C Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Insertion and Deletion” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this C Academy lesson?

Yes. Every C Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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