Erm, no a perl AV (the underlying C data type underneath an @array) is a pointer to a C array of SV* (pointers to the underlying C scalar value type). You can't trim elements out from the middle without shifting the successors down, nor prepend an element without shifting things up; you can append (i.e. push) items onto it but this may trigger a realloc of the C array of SV*s (likewise prepending may need to do this as well; but there may be an optimization for that). See the (slightly long in the tooth) relevant section of Perlguts Illustrated for more details.

Now having said that, for most of what you'd use a linked list for in another language yes arrays are the appropriate data structure. And if you really need a true linked list it's trivial to whip one up.

Update: And just to clarify a bit when I say you can't trim things out of the middle I'm talking about the underlying C operations that are taking place. Of course when you use splice it "Just Works™" and the representation of the array looks as if you've just removed the element(s) out from the middle; but underneath it all there's some shifting around being done that's going to be more overhead than would be if a true LL was being used under the hood.

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In reply to Re^2: Array VS Linked List by Fletch
in thread Array VS Linked List by asset

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