(data structure)
Definition: A class of collision resolution schemes in which linked lists handle collisions in a hash table. The two main subclasses are separate chaining, where lists are outside the table, and coalesced chaining, where the lists are within the table.
Generalization (I am a kind of ...)
collision resolution scheme.
Specialization (... is a kind of me.)
coalesced chaining, separate chaining.
Aggregate child (... is a part of or used in me.)
load factor.
See also open addressing.
Note: Any searchable data structure may be used instead of a linked list, but it is usually better to expand the hash table, thus lowering the load factor, and use a simple collision resolution mechanism, like the linked list.
Author: PEB
If you have suggestions, corrections, or comments, please get in touch with Paul Black.
Entry modified 17 December 2004.
HTML page formatted Mon Feb 2 13:10:39 2015.
Cite this as:
Paul E. Black, "chaining", in
Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures [online], Vreda Pieterse and Paul E. Black, eds. 17 December 2004. (accessed TODAY)
Available from: http://www.nist.gov/dads/HTML/chaining.html