Java - Insert a new node at the start of the Linked List

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

Inserting a new node at the beginning of the Linked List is very easy. First, a new node with given element is created. It is then added before the head of the given Linked List that makes the newly added node to new head of the Linked List by changing the head pointer to point to the new node.

The function push_front is created for this purpose. It is a 4-step process.

void push_front(int newElement) {
  
  //1. allocate a new node
  Node newNode = new Node();
  
  //2. assign data element
  newNode.data = newElement;
  
  //3. make next node of new node as head
  newNode.next = head; 
  
  //4. make new node as head
  head = newNode;   
}

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

//node structure
class Node {
    int data;
    Node next;
};

class LinkedList {
  Node head;

  LinkedList(){
    head = null;
  }

  //Add new element at the start of the list
  void push_front(int newElement) {
    Node newNode = new Node();
    newNode.data = newElement;
    newNode.next = head; 
    head = newNode;   
  }

  //display the content of the list
  void PrintList() {
    Node temp = new Node();
    temp = this.head;
    if(temp != null) {
      System.out.print("The list contains: ");
      while(temp != null) {
        System.out.print(temp.data + " ");
        temp = temp.next;
      }
      System.out.println();
    } else {
      System.out.println("The list is empty.");
    }
  }    
};

// test the code 
public class Implementation { 
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    LinkedList MyList = new LinkedList();

    //Add three elements at the start of the list.
    MyList.push_front(10);
    MyList.push_front(20);
    MyList.push_front(30);
    MyList.PrintList(); 
  }
}

The above code will give the following output:

The list contains: 30 20 10