Insert at Beginning of Doubly Linked List in DSA Python - Build from Scratch

Insert at Beginning of Doubly Linked List

📖 Scenario: You are managing a playlist of songs where each song knows the previous and next song. You want to add a new song at the start of the playlist.

🎯 Goal: Build a doubly linked list and insert a new node at the beginning, then print the list from start to end.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Node class with data, prev, and next attributes

Create a DoublyLinkedList class with a head attribute

Implement a method insert_at_beginning(data) to add a node at the start

Implement a method print_list() to print the list from head to end

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Doubly linked lists are used in music players, browsers, and undo-redo systems where you need to move forward and backward easily.

💼 Career

Understanding linked lists is fundamental for software engineering roles, especially for working with complex data structures and memory management.

1

Create Node and DoublyLinkedList classes

Create a Node class with an __init__ method that sets data, prev, and next attributes. Then create a DoublyLinkedList class with an __init__ method that sets head to None.

DSA Python

# Your code here

Hint

Define two classes. The Node holds data and links. The DoublyLinkedList starts empty with head = None.

2

Add insert_at_beginning method

Inside the DoublyLinkedList class, add a method called insert_at_beginning(self, data). This method should create a new Node with the given data. If the list is empty (head is None), set head to the new node. Otherwise, set the new node's next to the current head, set the current head's prev to the new node, and update head to the new node.

DSA Python

class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.prev = None
        self.next = None

class DoublyLinkedList:
    def __init__(self):
        self.head = None

    # Add insert_at_beginning method here
    # Your code here

Hint

Create a new node. If list empty, set head to new node. Else, link new node before current head and update head.

3

Add print_list method

Inside the DoublyLinkedList class, add a method called print_list(self). This method should start from head and print each node's data followed by -> until the end of the list is reached. After the last node, print None.

DSA Python

class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.prev = None
        self.next = None

class DoublyLinkedList:
    def __init__(self):
        self.head = None

    def insert_at_beginning(self, data):
        new_node = Node(data)
        if self.head is None:
            self.head = new_node
        else:
            new_node.next = self.head
            self.head.prev = new_node
            self.head = new_node

    # Add print_list method here
    # Your code here

Hint

Start from head and move next until None, printing each data with arrows.

4

Insert nodes and print the list

Create a DoublyLinkedList object called dll. Use insert_at_beginning to add nodes with data 10, 20, and 30 in that order. Then call dll.print_list() to display the list.

DSA Python

class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.prev = None
        self.next = None

class DoublyLinkedList:
    def __init__(self):
        self.head = None

    def insert_at_beginning(self, data):
        new_node = Node(data)
        if self.head is None:
            self.head = new_node
        else:
            new_node.next = self.head
            self.head.prev = new_node
            self.head = new_node

    def print_list(self):
        current = self.head
        while current:
            print(str(current.data) + ' -> ', end='')
            current = current.next
        print('None')

# Create doubly linked list and insert nodes
# Your code here

Hint

Create the list object, insert 10, then 20, then 30 at beginning, then print.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of inserting a node at the beginning of a doubly linked list?

easy

A. To add a new node as the first element of the list

B. To remove the last node from the list

C. To reverse the entire list

D. To find the middle node of the list

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the operation

   Inserting at the beginning means adding a new node before the current first node.

2. Step 2: Identify the purpose

   This operation makes the new node the first element in the doubly linked list.

3. Final Answer:

   To add a new node as the first element of the list -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Insert at beginning = Add new first node [OK]

Hint: Insert at beginning means new node becomes the first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing insertion at beginning with deletion
• Thinking it reverses the list
• Assuming it finds a node instead of adding

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a new node and insert it at the beginning of a doubly linked list in Python?

easy

A. new_node = Node(data); new_node.prev = head; head.next = new_node; head = new_node

B. new_node = Node(data); head.next = new_node; new_node.prev = head; head = new_node

C. new_node = Node(data); new_node.next = head; head.prev = new_node; head = new_node

D. new_node = Node(data); head.prev = new_node; new_node.next = head.next; head = new_node

Solution

1. Step 1: Create new node and link next pointer

   new_node.next should point to current head to place it before head.

2. Step 2: Update previous head's prev pointer and head reference

   head.prev must point back to new_node, then update head to new_node.

3. Final Answer:

   new_node = Node(data); new_node.next = head; head.prev = new_node; head = new_node -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   New node next = head, head prev = new node [OK]

Hint: New node next points to head; head prev points back [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping prev and next pointers
• Not updating head to new node
• Forgetting to update old head's prev pointer

3. What will be the output of the following code after inserting 10 at the beginning of the doubly linked list?

class Node:
    def __init__(self, data):
        self.data = data
        self.prev = None
        self.next = None

head = Node(20)
new_node = Node(10)
new_node.next = head
head.prev = new_node
head = new_node

# Print list forward
current = head
result = []
while current:
    result.append(current.data)
    current = current.next
print(result)

medium

A. [20, 10]

B. [10, 20]

C. [10]

D. [20]

Solution

1. Step 1: Insert 10 before 20

   New node with data 10 points next to old head (20), old head prev points back to new node.

2. Step 2: Traverse from new head and collect data

   Starting at head (10), next is 20, then None. So list is [10, 20].

3. Final Answer:

   [10, 20] -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   List after insertion = [10, 20] [OK]

Hint: Traverse from head to next to see order [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing order and printing reversed list
• Not updating head pointer
• Printing only one node

4. Identify the error in the following code snippet that inserts a node at the beginning of a doubly linked list:

new_node = Node(5)
new_node.next = head
head = new_node
head.prev = new_node

medium

A. head.prev should be set before updating head

B. new_node.next should be None

C. head.prev should point to None, not new_node

D. No error, code is correct

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze pointer assignments

   new_node.next points to old head (correct), but head = new_node happens before head.prev = new_node.

2. Step 2: Identify the error

   By the time head.prev = new_node executes, head is already the new_node, creating a self-loop. The old head's prev is never set. head.prev must be set before updating head to link the old head back correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   head.prev should be set before updating head -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Update old head.prev before head = new_node [OK]

Hint: Set head.prev before head = new_node [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Setting prev pointer after head update incorrectly
• Making first node's prev point to itself
• Ignoring prev pointer for head node

5. Given a doubly linked list with nodes 30 <-> 40 <-> 50, write the sequence of node values after inserting 20 at the beginning and then 10 at the beginning. What is the final list?

hard

A. 10 <-> 30 <-> 20 <-> 40 <-> 50

B. 20 <-> 10 <-> 30 <-> 40 <-> 50

C. 30 <-> 40 <-> 50 <-> 20 <-> 10

D. 10 <-> 20 <-> 30 <-> 40 <-> 50

Solution

1. Step 1: Insert 20 at beginning

   New node 20 points next to 30, 30 prev points to 20. List becomes 20 <-> 30 <-> 40 <-> 50.

2. Step 2: Insert 10 at beginning

   New node 10 points next to 20, 20 prev points to 10. List becomes 10 <-> 20 <-> 30 <-> 40 <-> 50.

3. Final Answer:

   10 <-> 20 <-> 30 <-> 40 <-> 50 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Insertions add nodes at front in order [OK]

Hint: Insertions at beginning stack nodes in reverse order [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Inserting nodes in wrong order
• Appending instead of prepending
• Not updating prev pointers correctly