chaining

(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

Implementation

If you have suggestions, corrections, or comments, please get in touch with Paul E. Black.

Entry modified Fri Dec 17 12:23:25 2004.
HTML page formatted Wed Oct 26 09:47:19 2005.

Cite this as:
Paul E. Black, "chaining", from Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures, Paul E. Black, ed., NIST.
http://www.nist.gov/dads/HTML/chaining.html