Transform linked list to adjacency list
Last updated: March 8, 2026
Quick Overview
Given a singly linked list where each node contains a value and a reference to the next node, transform this linked list into an adjacency list representation. Each node's value should serve as a key in the adjacency list, with its corresponding value being a list of its neighbors. The output should be a dictionary where each key is a node's value and each value is a list of values representing the adjacent nodes.
Tesla
March 8, 202618
4
2,566 solved
Given a singly linked list where each node contains a value and a reference to the next node, transform this linked list into an adjacency list representation. Each node's value should serve as a key in the adjacency list, with its corresponding value being a list of its neighbors. The output should be a dictionary where each key is a node's value and each value is a list of values representing the adjacent nodes.
This coding problem is frequently asked during Onsite at Tesla. The interviewer is testing your ability to translate a problem into clean, working code while discussing time and space complexity. Tesla expects candidates to write production-quality code, not just solve the puzzle.
What the Interviewer Expects
- Identify the correct data structure and algorithm for the problem
- Write clean, bug-free code with proper variable naming
- Analyze time and space complexity correctly
- Handle basic edge cases (empty input, single element)
- Communicate your thought process while coding
Key Topics to Cover
How to Approach This
- Clarify input constraints and edge cases before writing code.
- Walk through your approach verbally and confirm with the interviewer before coding.
- Start with a brute force solution, then optimize. Mention time and space complexity.
- Test your solution with examples, including edge cases like empty input or duplicates.
- Consider common patterns: sliding window, two pointers, hash map, BFS/DFS, dynamic programming.
Possible Follow-up Questions
- How would your solution change if the input was sorted?
- What is the worst-case input for your solution?
- What if the input doesn't fit in memory?
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Problem Analysis
To transform a singly linked list into an adjacency list, we need to understand the structure of both data types. Each node in the linked list has a value and a reference to the next node, while the a...
Approach
- Initialize an empty dictionary to hold the adjacency list.
- Iterate through the linked list starting from the head node. For each node, do the following:
- Check if the current node h...
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