PHP - 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.

public function push_back($newElement) {
  
  //1. allocate node
  $newNode = new 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($this->head == null) {
    $this->head = $newNode;
  } else {
    
    //5. Else, traverse to the last node
    $temp = new Node();
    $temp = $this->head;
    while($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.

<?php
//node structure
class Node {
  public $data;
  public $next;
}

class LinkedList {
  public $head;

  public function __construct(){
    $this->head = null;
  }
  
  //Add new element at the end of the list
  public function push_back($newElement) {
    $newNode = new Node();
    $newNode->data = $newElement;
    $newNode->next = null; 
    if($this->head == null) {
      $this->head = $newNode;
    } else {
      $temp = new Node();
      $temp = $this->head;
      while($temp->next != null) {
        $temp = $temp->next;
      }
      $temp->next = $newNode;
    }    
  }

  //display the content of the list
  public function PrintList() {
    $temp = new Node();
    $temp = $this->head;
    if($temp != null) {
      echo "The list contains: ";
      while($temp != null) {
        echo $temp->data." ";
        $temp = $temp->next;
      }
      echo "\n";
    } else {
      echo "The list is empty.\n";
    }
  }   
};

// test the code  
$MyList = new LinkedList();

//Add three elements at the end of the list.
$MyList->push_back(10);
$MyList->push_back(20);
$MyList->push_back(30);
$MyList->PrintList();
?>

The above code will give the following output:

The list contains: 10 20 30