JavaScript Data Structures: Queue: Dequeue

Intro

Last time, we learned to enqueue a node to the end of the Queue.

Today, we learn how to dequeue / remove a new node from the start of the Queue.

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Starter Code ▶️

We start with the code with the enqueue method.

class Node {
  constructor(value) {
    this.value = value;
    this.next = null;
  }
}

class Queue {
  constructor() {
    this.length = 0;
    this.start = null;
    this.end = null;
  }

  enqueue(value) {
    const newNode = new Node(value);

    if (!this.length) {
      this.start = newNode;
      this.end = newNode;
    } else {
      this.end.next = newNode;
      this.end = newNode;
    }

    this.length += 1;
    return newNode;
  }
}

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Thoughts 💭

First, we should think about the constraints and possibilities:

If the Queue is empty:

• we can't remove a node

If the Queue has one node:

• set the current start as the node to remove
• set the node after the start as the new start
• set the next node of the node to remove to null
• set the end to null
• decrease the queue's length by 1
• return the node to remove

All remaining cases:

• set the current start as the node to remove
• set the node after the start as the new start
• set the next node of the node to remove to null
• decrease the queue's length by 1
• return the node to remove

Differences:

• we only have to change the end of the queue when we start with one node, because then there is no end left, because the queue will be empty

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Example

// current queue:
A (start) ==> B (end)

// desired queue:
              B (start, end)

Steps:

// current queue:
A (start) ==> B (end)

// set the node after the start as the new start
A         ==> B (start, end)

// set the next node of the node to remove to null
A             B (start, end)

// desired queue:
              B (start, end)

✅

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Implementation 📝

class Node {
  constructor(value) {
    this.value = value;
    this.next = null;
  }
}

class Queue {
  constructor() {
    this.length = 0;
    this.start = null;
    this.end = null;
  }

  enqueue(value) {
    const newNode = new Node(value);

    if (!this.length) {
      this.start = newNode;
      this.end = newNode;
    } else {
      this.end.next = newNode;
      this.end = newNode;
    }

    this.length += 1;
    return newNode;
  }

  dequeue() {
    if (!this.length) {
      return null;
    } else {
      // set the current start as the node to remove
      const nodeToRemove = this.start;

      // set the node after the start as the new start
      this.start = this.start.next;

      // set the next node of the node to remove to null
      nodeToRemove.next = null;

      // set the end to null, if the queue will be empty after removing
      if (this.length === 1) {
        this.end = null;
      }

      // decrease the queue's length by 1
      this.length -= 1;

      // return the node to remove
      return nodeToRemove;
    }
  }
}

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Result

Let's have a look how to use the dequeue method and its results.

const newQueue = new Queue();
newQueue.enqueue("new A");
newQueue.enqueue("new B");

// queue with 2 nodes
console.log(newQueue);
// Queue {
//   length: 2,
//   start: Node { value: 'new A', next: Node { value: 'new B', next: null } },
//   end: Node { value: 'new B', next: null }
// }

// remove the start, "new A"
console.log(newQueue.dequeue());
// Node { value: 'new A', next: null }

// 1 node should be left, "new B"
console.log(newQueue);
// Queue {
//   length: 1,
//   start: Node { value: 'new B', next: null },
//   end: Node { value: 'new B', next: null }
// }

// remove the start, "new B"
console.log(newQueue.dequeue());
// Node { value: 'new B', next: null }

// queue should be empty
console.log(newQueue);
// Queue { length: 0, start: null, end: null }

✅

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Next Part ➡️

We will do a small recap of our Queue.

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Questions ❔

• If we would implement the Queue by using an Array, how would we dequeue the start node?