C - Insert a new node at the end of the Linked List

In this method, a new node is inserted at the end of the linked list. For example - if the given List is 10->20->30 and a new element 100 is added at the end, the Linked List becomes 10->20->30->100.

Inserting a new node at the end of the Linked List is very easy. First, a new node with given element is created. It is then added at the end of the list by linking the last node to the new node.

The function push_back is created for this purpose. It is a 6-step process.

void push_back(struct Node** head_ref, int newElement) {  
  
  //1. allocate node
  struct Node *newNode, *temp;
  newNode = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct Node)); 
  
  //2. assign data element
  newNode->data = newElement;  
  
  //3. assign null to the next of new node
  newNode->next = NULL;
  
  //4. Check the Linked List is empty or not,
  //   if empty make the new node as head 
  if(*head_ref == NULL) {
    *head_ref = newNode; 
  } else {
    
    //5. Else, traverse to the last node
    temp = *head_ref;
    while(temp->next != NULL) {
      temp = temp->next;
    }    
    
    //6. Change the next of last node to new node
    temp->next = newNode;
  }
}

The below is a complete program that uses above discussed concept to insert new node at the end of the linked list.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

//node structure
struct Node {
  int data;
  struct Node* next;
};

//Add new element at the end of the list
void push_back(struct Node** head_ref, int newElement) {  
  struct Node *newNode, *temp;
  newNode = (struct Node*)malloc(sizeof(struct Node)); 
  newNode->data = newElement;  
  newNode->next = NULL;
  if(*head_ref == NULL) {
    *head_ref = newNode; 
  } else {
    temp = *head_ref;
    while(temp->next != NULL) {
      temp = temp->next;
    }    
    temp->next = newNode;
  }
}

//display the content of the list
void PrintList(struct Node* head_ref) {
  struct Node* temp = head_ref;
  if(head_ref != NULL) {
    printf("The list contains: ");
    while (temp != NULL) {
      printf("%i ",temp->data);
      temp = temp->next;  
    }
    printf("\n");
  } else {
    printf("The list is empty.\n");
  }   
}

// test the code  
int main() {
  struct Node* MyList = NULL;

  //Add three elements at the end of the list.
  push_back(&MyList, 10);
  push_back(&MyList, 20);
  push_back(&MyList, 30);
  PrintList(MyList);

  return 0; 
}

The above code will give the following output:

The list contains: 10 20 30