What is the main advantage of using a linked list over an array?

The main advantage of using a linked list over an array is that linked lists allow for easier insertions and deletions. In a linked list, elements are not stored in contiguous memory locations but rather as nodes that contain data and pointers to the next (and possibly previous) nodes. This structure means that adding or removing an element can be done by simply adjusting the pointers, which is generally a constant time operation.

In contrast, arrays have a fixed size and any insertion or deletion requires shifting elements around, which can be time-consuming, especially for larger arrays. When you need to insert an element in the middle of an array, you may need to move many subsequent elements to create space, or when removing an element, you generally have to shift elements to fill the gap left by the removed item. Therefore, linked lists provide significant advantages in scenarios where frequent insertion and deletion of elements are needed, making them more efficient than arrays for these operations.

This makes linked lists particularly useful in applications where the number of elements fluctuates or where memory allocation and deallocation are frequent.