Problem Description
Given head, the head of a linked list, determine if the linked list has a cycle in it.
There is a cycle in a linked list if there is some node in the list that can be reached again by continuously following the next pointer. Internally, pos is used to denote the index of the node that tail's next pointer is connected to. Note that pos is not passed as a parameter.
Return true if there is a cycle in the linked list. Otherwise, return false.
Examples
Example 1: Input: head = [3,2,0,-4], pos = 1 Output: true Explanation: There is a cycle in the linked list, where the tail connects to the 1st node (0-indexed). Example 2: Input: head = [1,2], pos = 0 Output: true Explanation: There is a cycle in the linked list, where the tail connects to the 0th node. Example 3: Input: head = [1], pos = -1 Output: false Explanation: There is no cycle in the linked list.
Python Solution
def hasCycle(head: Optional[ListNode]) -> bool:
if not head or not head.next:
return False
slow = head
fast = head.next
while slow != fast:
if not fast or not fast.next:
return False
slow = slow.next
fast = fast.next.next
return True
Java Solution
public class Solution {
public boolean hasCycle(ListNode head) {
if (head == null || head.next == null) {
return false;
}
ListNode slow = head;
ListNode fast = head.next;
while (slow != fast) {
if (fast == null || fast.next == null) {
return false;
}
slow = slow.next;
fast = fast.next.next;
}
return true;
}
}
C++ Solution
class Solution {
public:
bool hasCycle(ListNode *head) {
if (!head || !head->next) {
return false;
}
ListNode *slow = head;
ListNode *fast = head->next;
while (slow != fast) {
if (!fast || !fast->next) {
return false;
}
slow = slow->next;
fast = fast->next->next;
}
return true;
}
};
JavaScript Solution
/**
* @param {ListNode} head
* @return {boolean}
*/
var hasCycle = function(head) {
if (!head || !head.next) {
return false;
}
let slow = head;
let fast = head.next;
while (slow !== fast) {
if (!fast || !fast.next) {
return false;
}
slow = slow.next;
fast = fast.next.next;
}
return true;
};
C# Solution
public class Solution {
public bool HasCycle(ListNode head) {
if (head == null || head.next == null) {
return false;
}
ListNode slow = head;
ListNode fast = head.next;
while (slow != fast) {
if (fast == null || fast.next == null) {
return false;
}
slow = slow.next;
fast = fast.next.next;
}
return true;
}
}
Complexity Analysis
- Time Complexity: O(n) where n is the number of nodes in the linked list
- Space Complexity: O(1) as we only use two pointers
Solution Explanation
This solution uses Floyd's Cycle-Finding Algorithm (also known as the "tortoise and hare" algorithm):
- Key concept:
- Two pointers
- Different speeds
- Cycle detection
- Algorithm steps:
- Initialize pointers
- Move at different speeds
- Check for meeting
- Detect cycle
Key points:
- Fast pointer moves twice as fast
- If they meet, cycle exists
- If fast reaches null, no cycle
- Constant space solution