What data structure would best support frequent insertions and deletions?

A linked list would best support frequent insertions and deletions.

A linked list is a linear data structure where each element is a separate object. Each of these objects, known as a node, consists of two fields: data and reference. The data field stores the data, while the reference field points to the next node in the list. This structure allows for efficient insertions and deletions, as you only need to update the references of the neighbouring nodes, rather than shifting all elements as in an array.

When an element is inserted into a linked list, a new node is created and its reference field is set to point to the node that was previously at that position. The reference field of the node before it is then updated to point to the new node. This operation is very efficient, as it only requires changing a couple of references, regardless of the size of the list.

Similarly, when an element is deleted from a linked list, the reference field of the node before it is updated to point to the node after it, effectively skipping over the deleted node. Again, this operation is very efficient, as it only requires changing a single reference.

Another advantage of linked lists is that they can grow and shrink in size dynamically, unlike arrays which have a fixed size. This makes them a good choice for situations where the number of elements is not known in advance.

However, linked lists do have some drawbacks. One is that they do not provide constant-time access to individual elements. To access an element, you have to start at the first node and follow the references until you reach the desired node. This can be slow if the list is long. Another drawback is that they use more memory than arrays, as they need to store the references in addition to the data.

In conclusion, while linked lists have some disadvantages, their ability to handle frequent insertions and deletions efficiently makes them an excellent choice for certain applications.