Linked Lists Debate

Discussions criticize the general use of linked lists in modern programming due to poor cache performance and niche applicability, advocating for alternatives like vectors, arrays, and hashmaps instead.

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Keywords

SquareList CPU UAF youtu.be NULL EDIT odictobject.c LinkedLists clhs.lisp E.g linked lists linked linked list lists list data structure array structure data ordering

Sample Comments

Dylan16807 Feb 22, 2020 View on HN

Linked lists are inherently niche on modern hardware.

wfunction Mar 13, 2015 View on HN

Linked lists are only useful in very few situations and this is not one of them.

strictfp May 22, 2013 View on HN

Who used linked lists in practice anyway?

zabzonk Nov 4, 2022 View on HN

yes, he does linked lists are, except in a few specific cases, the wrong solution

kllrnohj Apr 14, 2025 View on HN

You don't & generally shouldn't be in the first place, in any language. Linked lists are a very niche data structure, so generic code should ~never be using them. So it's a moot question. It's kinda like the complaints about how hard a doubly linked list is in Rust - it's just not important because it's not something you should be using 99.999% of the time anyway.

dgquintas Nov 25, 2017 View on HN

"Just say no to linked lists!" https://youtu.be/fHNmRkzxHWs?t=2099

habibur Feb 15, 2024 View on HN

It's vector and hashmap that you need most, not linked list.

If you want speed, you don't use a linked list in the first place.

hoseja Apr 14, 2025 View on HN

Linked lists should be obscure niche data structures for when you absolutely need their unique characteristics, not some front-and-center default.

calo_star Apr 28, 2023 View on HN

What would be the particular difficulty with intrusive linked lists?