A linked list is a linear data structure used for storing a collection of elements. Its primary advantage is that the size of the list can be easily modified (elements can be added or removed) during program execution.
Common uses include:
Implementing other data structures: Stacks, queues, and graphs can be efficiently implemented using linked lists.
Dynamic memory management: They are used in situations where the number of elements is unknown beforehand and can change frequently.
Music/Image viewers: The "next" and "previous" buttons often use a doubly linked list to navigate between items.
Undo functionality: The chain of "undo" operations in many applications is managed using a list-like structure.