5/30.
Plot twist: arrays often beat linked lists, even at inserts.
Why? Array items sit side by side in memory. CPUs grab memory in chunks, so the next item is often already there.
Linked list nodes are scattered. Every "next" can be a trip to slow memory.
Layout matters.
4/30.
Arrays in real life:
Photo pixels
Spreadsheet rows
Leaderboards
Linked lists in real life:
Next/prev song
Browser back/forward
↩Undo/redo
Train carriages
Rule of thumb: jump to a spot → array. Step through or keep inserting → linked list.