Java: Remove and return the first element of a linked list

Last update on May 22 2025 13:15:57 (UTC/GMT +8 hours)

19. Remove and Return First

Write a Java program to remove and return the first element of a linked list.

Sample Solution:-

Java Code:

import java.util.*;
public class Exercise19 {
 public static void main(String[] args) {
  // create an empty linked list
  LinkedList <String> c1 = new LinkedList <String> ();
            c1.add("Red");
          c1.add("Green");
          c1.add("Black");
          c1.add("White");
          c1.add("Pink");
          System.out.println("Original linked  list: " + c1);
           
     System.out.println("Removed element: "+c1.pop());
     
     System.out.println("Linked list after pop operation: "+c1);
  }
} 

Sample Output:

Original linked  list: [Red, Green, Black, White, Pink]                
Removed element: Red                                                   
Linked list after pop operation: [Green, Black, White, Pink]

Pictorial Presentation:

Flowchart:

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

• Write a Java program to remove the first element from a linked list and return it, then print the remaining list.
• Write a Java program to implement a method that pops the head of a linked list and handles empty-list exceptions.
• Write a Java program to remove and return the first element using recursion while preserving the rest of the list.
• Write a Java program to compare the removed first element with the new head to verify correctness.

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