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 Rust 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.rs
Replay: real traced execution (multi-file project)
struct Node {
    value: i32,
    next: Option<Box<Node>>,
}

fn node(value: i32, next: Option<Box<Node>>) -> Option<Box<Node>> {
    Some(Box::new(Node { value, next }))
}

fn render(head: &Option<Box<Node>>) -> String {
    let mut parts: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
    let mut cursor = head.as_ref();
    while let Some(node) = cursor {
        parts.push(node.value.to_string());
        cursor = node.next.as_ref();
    }
    parts.join(" -> ") + " -> null"
}

fn delete_value(head: Option<Box<Node>>, target: i32) -> Option<Box<Node>> {
    match head {
        Some(mut n) => {
            if n.value == target {
                n.next
            } else {
                n.next = delete_value(n.next, target);
                Some(n)
            }
        }
        None => None,
    }
}

fn main() {
    let head = node(10, node(20, node(30, node(40, None))));
    let target = 30;
    let head = delete_value(head, target);
    println!("{}", render(&head));
}

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

    1struct Node {2    value: i32,
    values this step10 -> 20 -> 30 -> 40 -> nullhead30target

  2. cursor ← node(20)

    12let mut cursor = head.as_ref();13while let Some(node) = cursor {14    parts.push(node.value.to_string());
    values this stepnode(10) → node(20)cursor

  3. cursor.next ← node(40)

    14    parts.push(node.value.to_string());15    cursor = node.next.as_ref();16}
    values this stepnode(30) → node(40)cursor.next

  4. stdout ← 10 -> 20 -> 40 -> null

    37    let head = delete_value(head, target);38    println!("{}", render(&head));39}
    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.