What is the purpose of the destructor of a linked list?

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Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of the destructor of a linked list?

Explanation:
Destructors for a linked list must release every node that was created on the heap. Each node is typically allocated separately, so freeing just the head pointer doesn’t free the rest of the nodes and leaves memory allocated (a leak). Simply resetting the tail pointer doesn’t free any nodes either; it only changes a pointer value. Leaving the list unchanged would likewise leave all allocated nodes in memory. The correct behavior is for the destructor to call a routine like destroyList() that traverses the list and deletes each node, ensuring all nodes are properly deallocated when the list is destroyed.

Destructors for a linked list must release every node that was created on the heap. Each node is typically allocated separately, so freeing just the head pointer doesn’t free the rest of the nodes and leaves memory allocated (a leak). Simply resetting the tail pointer doesn’t free any nodes either; it only changes a pointer value. Leaving the list unchanged would likewise leave all allocated nodes in memory. The correct behavior is for the destructor to call a routine like destroyList() that traverses the list and deletes each node, ensuring all nodes are properly deallocated when the list is destroyed.

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