Remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list

Last Updated on November 14, 2022 by Prepbytes

We know that in the doubly linked list each node stores the link to the previous pointer as well to the next pointer and can be used in the navigation system where both backward and forward traversal is needed. So let’s just see how to remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list

How to remove duplicates from doubly linked list

In this problem, we will be given a sorted doubly linked list containing some element occurring multiple times. We have to remove these duplicate occurrences of the elements.

Let’s try to understand how we can remove duplicates from doubly linked list with the help of examples.

Let’s say the given linked list is:

• According to the problem statement, we have to remove duplicates from doubly linked list.
• In the given linked list, we can see that 5 and 9 are present multiple times. So, we have to remove duplicates of 5 and 9 present in the linked list.
• After removing duplicates of 5 and 9 from the list, the final linked list which we will have is:

Let’s see if the given linked list is: head → 1 ←→ 3 ←→ 3 ←→ 3 ←→ 4 ←→ 5 ←→ 5

• In this given linked list, 3 and 5 are present multiple times. So, we will remove duplicates of 3 and 5 present in the linked list. Our final linked list after the removal of duplicates of 3 and 5 will be head → 1 ←→ 3 ←→ 4 ←→ 5.

Now, I think from the above examples, it is clear what we have to do to remove duplicates from doubly linked list. So let’s see how we can approach it.

Before jumping directly into the approach section, first try to think about how you can remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list. If stuck, no problem, we will thoroughly see how we can remove duplicates from doubly linked list in the next section.

Let’s move to the approach section.

Approach to remove duplicates from doubly linked list

Our approach will be simple:

• We start traversing through the list and will check if the current→data is equal to the current→next→data or not:
  • If current→data is not equal to the current→next→data then we will move forward because it is possible only when there is a single node of the current→data in the linked list.
  • But if the current→data is equal to the current→next→data, we will delete all node’s starting from the current→next up to the node having data same as current→data.
• In the end, our linked list will be free from duplicate elements.

Algorithm to remove duplicates from doubly linked list

• Initialize a pointer named current with head.
• Start traversing through the linked list using current and do these steps until you reach NULL.
  • If the current node’s data is equal to the current→ next→ data, there are duplicates in the linked list, so we have to delete all the duplicates of current→ data.
  • If the current node’s data is not equal to the current→ next→ data, then move forward by assigning current = current→ next.

Dry Run to remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list

Code Implementation to remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list

#include 
using namespace std;

class DLLNode{
public:
    int data;
    DLLNode* next;
    DLLNode* prv;
    DLLNode(int data){
        this->data = data;
        this->next = NULL;
        this->prv = NULL;
    }
};

DLLNode* deleteNodes(DLLNode* head){
    //  initialize the starting and ending node  
    //  which we have to delete
    DLLNode *first = head, *last = head;
    while(last!=NULL && last->next!=NULL && last->data == last->next->data){
        last = last->next; // move last node to its correct position
    }

    DLLNode* temp = last->next;
    last->next = NULL;
    first->prv = NULL;
    delete first;
    return temp;
}

void removeDuplicates(DLLNode* head){
    if(head==NULL){
        return;
    }

    DLLNode *curr = head;
    while(curr->next != NULL){
        if(curr->data != curr->next->data){
            curr = curr->next;
        }else{
           DLLNode* temp = deleteNodes(curr->next);
           curr->next = temp;
           if(temp!=NULL){
           temp->prv = curr;
           }
        }
    }
}

void push(DLLNode** head_ref, int new_data){
    DLLNode* new_node = new DLLNode(new_data);
    new_node->next = (*head_ref);
    (*head_ref) = new_node;
}

int main(){

    DLLNode* head = NULL;
    push(&head, 9);
    push(&head, 9);
    push(&head, 9);
    push(&head, 6);
    push(&head, 5);
    push(&head, 5);
    push(&head, 1);
    cout<<"Original Linked List: "<next)
        cout << temp->data << " ";
    cout<next)
        cout << temp->data << " ";
 
    return 0;
}

Output

Original Linked List:
1 5 5 6 9 9 9
Linked List after removing duplicates from a sorted doubly:
1 5 6 9

Time complexity: O(N), Since we have traversed through the list only once.

So, In this blog, we have learned how to remove duplicates from a sorted doubly linked list. We have discussed whenever we encounter sorted doubly linked lists then how we will remove the data and discuss the approach with a complete dry run and code implementation with optimized time and space complexities. To brush up on skills,you can follow this link Linked List.

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FAQs to remove duplicates from doubly linked list

1. Is a doubly linked list important?

A doubly linked list can be used in the navigation system where both backward and forward traversal is needed.

2. Which operation is more efficient in a doubly linked list?

It seems that insertion and deletion are more efficient in a doubly linked list than in a singly linked list.

3. Is the head a pointer or a node?

Head in the case of a singly linked list is the pointer which points to the first node of the linked list.so it’s not a node, it’s a pointer reference.