# How to remove an item from a linked list in Julia?
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145
**Category:** General Usage
**Created:** [January 4, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145 "2018-01-04T01:54:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@QUANG\_VU\_NGUY\_N\_PH\_M](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/QUANG_VU_NGUY_N_PH_M)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/1 "2018-01-04T01:54:36Z")
Please help me how can we remove an item from a linked list.
In the code below, I can make a list by:
```julia
julia> L = list(1,3,5,7,9)
list(1,3,5,7,9)
```
Then, how to remove the 3rd element from L?
```julia
type Node
value::Number
next::Node
function Node()
n = new() # point to itself
n.next = n
end
function Node(value::Number, next::Node) # a regular constructor
new(value, next)
end
end
#"Add Elements to List"
function unshift(head::Node, values::Number...)
for v in reverse(values)
head = Node(v, head)
end
head
end
function list(values::Number...)
tail = Node()
unshift(tail, values...)
end
# Implement Iteration Interface
Base.start(head::Node) = head
Base.next(head::Node, n::Node) = n.value, n.next
Base.done(head::Node, n::Node) = n == n.next
# Using join for pretty printing:
function Base.show(io::IO, n::Node)
println(io, "list(", join(n, ",")")" )
end
# Add value to a linked list
function Base.append!(l::Node, x::Number...)
for v in reverse(x)
l = Node(v, l)
end
l
end
```
---
### Author:  [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/2 "2018-01-04T01:56:38Z")
Is this a homework question?
---
### Author:  [@QUANG\_VU\_NGUY\_N\_PH\_M](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/QUANG_VU_NGUY_N_PH_M)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/3 "2018-01-04T02:14:42Z")
I am major in geotechnical engineering and currently studying Julia for my research in graduate school. It’s not a homework for any class. I don’t know how to properly use pointers in this case. Please tell me how to do it
---
### Author:  [@QUANG\_VU\_NGUY\_N\_PH\_M](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/QUANG_VU_NGUY_N_PH_M)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/4 "2018-01-04T02:14:44Z")
It’s a self-study problem, not a homework for a class. I am grateful if you can help me understand more
---
### Author:  [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/5 "2018-01-04T02:26:32Z")
Alright, to remove e.g. the third node, traverse to the second node (using, for example, the iteration interface you defined). Store that node. Then traverse to the fourth node. Store that node. Then set the `next` field of the second node to the fourth node.
---
### Author:  [@QUANG\_VU\_NGUY\_N\_PH\_M](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/QUANG_VU_NGUY_N_PH_M)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 2:48am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/6 "2018-01-04T02:48:39Z")
Thank you very much for your help! I got the result:
```julia
function Base.delete!(l::Node, index::Int64)
l_before = l
l_after = l
for i = 1:(index-2)
l_before = l_before.next
end
for i = 1:(index)
l_after = l_after.next
end
l_before.next = l_after
return l
end
```
---
### Author:  [@kristoffer.carlsson](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/kristoffer.carlsson)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 3:03am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/7 "2018-01-04T03:03:26Z")
Since you have defined an iteration interface, it might be good to use that instead of directly accessing the `.next` fields.
You could also do slightly better than now, by not restarting your iteration from 1 in the second loop. Instead, you could just keep going forward two steps from `l_before`.
---
### Author:  [@QUANG\_VU\_NGUY\_N\_PH\_M](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/QUANG_VU_NGUY_N_PH_M)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2018, 3:24am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/8 "2018-01-04T03:24:46Z")
```julia
function Base.delete!(l::Node, index::Int64)
l_before = l
for i = 1:(index-2)
l_before = l_before.next
end
l_before.next = l_before.next.next
return l
end
```
Thank for your help! I understand your second idea and implemented it like the above. But how about the first idea? I dont know how to use that iteration interface as you mentioned
---
### Author:  [@ggggggggg](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ggggggggg)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/how-to-remove-an-item-from-a-linked-list-in-julia/8145/9 "2018-01-05T18:50:58Z")
Something like
```julia
for (i,node) in enumerate(l)
if i==index+1
lastnode.next=node.next
break
end
lastnode=node
end
```
Though I don’t think that handles deleting at `index=1`.