Problem Description
Given the head of a singly linked list and two integers left and right where left <= right, reverse the nodes of the list from position left to position right, and return the reversed list.
Examples
Example 1: Input: head = [1,2,3,4,5], left = 2, right = 4 Output: [1,4,3,2,5] Example 2: Input: head = [5], left = 1, right = 1 Output: [5]
Python Solution
# Definition for singly-linked list.
# class ListNode:
# def __init__(self, val=0, next=None):
# self.val = val
# self.next = next
def reverseBetween(head: Optional[ListNode], left: int, right: int) -> Optional[ListNode]:
if not head or left == right:
return head
# Create dummy node to handle edge cases
dummy = ListNode(0)
dummy.next = head
prev = dummy
# Move to the position before reversal starts
for _ in range(left - 1):
prev = prev.next
# Start reversal
curr = prev.next
for _ in range(right - left):
next_node = curr.next
curr.next = next_node.next
next_node.next = prev.next
prev.next = next_node
return dummy.next
Java Solution
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* public class ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode next;
* ListNode() {}
* ListNode(int val) { this.val = val; }
* ListNode(int val, ListNode next) { this.val = val; this.next = next; }
* }
*/
class Solution {
public ListNode reverseBetween(ListNode head, int left, int right) {
if (head == null || left == right) {
return head;
}
// Create dummy node to handle edge cases
ListNode dummy = new ListNode(0);
dummy.next = head;
ListNode prev = dummy;
// Move to the position before reversal starts
for (int i = 1; i < left; i++) {
prev = prev.next;
}
// Start reversal
ListNode curr = prev.next;
for (int i = 0; i < right - left; i++) {
ListNode nextNode = curr.next;
curr.next = nextNode.next;
nextNode.next = prev.next;
prev.next = nextNode;
}
return dummy.next;
}
}
C++ Solution
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* struct ListNode {
* int val;
* ListNode *next;
* ListNode() : val(0), next(nullptr) {}
* ListNode(int x) : val(x), next(nullptr) {}
* ListNode(int x, ListNode *next) : val(x), next(next) {}
* };
*/
class Solution {
public:
ListNode* reverseBetween(ListNode* head, int left, int right) {
if (!head || left == right) {
return head;
}
// Create dummy node to handle edge cases
ListNode* dummy = new ListNode(0);
dummy->next = head;
ListNode* prev = dummy;
// Move to the position before reversal starts
for (int i = 1; i < left; i++) {
prev = prev->next;
}
// Start reversal
ListNode* curr = prev->next;
for (int i = 0; i < right - left; i++) {
ListNode* nextNode = curr->next;
curr->next = nextNode->next;
nextNode->next = prev->next;
prev->next = nextNode;
}
ListNode* result = dummy->next;
delete dummy;
return result;
}
};
JavaScript Solution
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* function ListNode(val, next) {
* this.val = (val===undefined ? 0 : val)
* this.next = (next===undefined ? null : next)
* }
*/
/**
* @param {ListNode} head
* @param {number} left
* @param {number} right
* @return {ListNode}
*/
var reverseBetween = function(head, left, right) {
if (!head || left === right) {
return head;
}
// Create dummy node to handle edge cases
const dummy = new ListNode(0);
dummy.next = head;
let prev = dummy;
// Move to the position before reversal starts
for (let i = 1; i < left; i++) {
prev = prev.next;
}
// Start reversal
let curr = prev.next;
for (let i = 0; i < right - left; i++) {
const nextNode = curr.next;
curr.next = nextNode.next;
nextNode.next = prev.next;
prev.next = nextNode;
}
return dummy.next;
};
C# Solution
/**
* Definition for singly-linked list.
* public class ListNode {
* public int val;
* public ListNode next;
* public ListNode(int val=0, ListNode next=null) {
* this.val = val;
* this.next = next;
* }
* }
*/
public class Solution {
public ListNode ReverseBetween(ListNode head, int left, int right) {
if (head == null || left == right) {
return head;
}
// Create dummy node to handle edge cases
ListNode dummy = new ListNode(0);
dummy.next = head;
ListNode prev = dummy;
// Move to the position before reversal starts
for (int i = 1; i < left; i++) {
prev = prev.next;
}
// Start reversal
ListNode curr = prev.next;
for (int i = 0; i < right - left; i++) {
ListNode nextNode = curr.next;
curr.next = nextNode.next;
nextNode.next = prev.next;
prev.next = nextNode;
}
return dummy.next;
}
}
Complexity Analysis
- Time Complexity: O(n) where n is the length of the linked list
- Space Complexity: O(1) using only constant extra space
Solution Explanation
This solution uses iterative reversal with a dummy node:
- Key concept:
- Use dummy node for edge cases
- Track position before reversal
- Reverse nodes one by one
- Algorithm steps:
- Move to start position
- Reverse required nodes
- Maintain connections
- Return modified list
Key points:
- In-place reversal
- Handles edge cases
- Maintains connections
- Constant extra space