Linked Structures

Delete by Value

Find the node before the target value and rewire its next pointer so the target node leaves the chain.

Algorithm

The replay labels nodes by value, such as node(20), and never exposes object identity or memory addresses. This Ruby DSA implementation uses the same small chain as the rest of the DSA track.

predecessor Deletion needs the node before the one being removed.
rewiring The predecessor skips the target and points at the target's next node.

Basic Implementation

basic.rb
Replay: real traced execution (multi-file project)
Node = Struct.new(:value, :next)

def render(head)
  parts = []
  cursor = head
  while cursor
    parts << cursor.value.to_s
    cursor = cursor.next
  end
  parts.join(" -> ") + " -> null"
end

head = Node.new(10, Node.new(20, Node.new(30, Node.new(40, nil))))
target = 30
cursor = head
while cursor.next
  if cursor.next.value == target
    cursor.next = cursor.next.next
    break
  end
  cursor = cursor.next
end
puts render(head)

  1. head ← 10 -> 20 -> 30 -> 40 -> null, target ← 30

    1Node = Struct.new(:value, :next)
    values this step10 -> 20 -> 30 -> 40 -> nullhead30target

  2. cursor ← node(20)

    5cursor = head6while cursor7  parts << cursor.value.to_s
    values this stepnode(10) → node(20)cursor

  3. cursor.next ← node(40)

    17if cursor.next.value == target18  cursor.next = cursor.next.next19  break
    values this stepnode(30) → node(40)cursor.next

  4. stdout ← 10 -> 20 -> 40 -> null

    1Node = Struct.new(:value, :next)
    values this step10 -> 20 -> 40 -> nullstdout10 -> 20 -> 40 -> nullhead

Complexity

  • Time: O(n)
  • Space: O(1)

Implementation notes

  • Keep the explicit node and pointer/reference operations; array shortcuts hide the linked-list state this lesson is meant to replay.
  • The final output prints the chain in a deterministic a -> b -> null form for cross-language comparison.