Data Structures Questions Medium
Linear probing and linear hashing are two different techniques used in hash tables to handle collisions.
Linear probing is a collision resolution technique where, if a collision occurs while inserting an element into a hash table, the next available slot in the table is searched sequentially until an empty slot is found. In linear probing, the elements are stored in a contiguous manner, and the search for an empty slot starts from the collided position and moves linearly until an empty slot is found. This means that the elements are stored in a linear manner, hence the name linear probing.
On the other hand, linear hashing is a dynamic hashing technique that allows the hash table to grow or shrink dynamically as the number of elements in the table changes. In linear hashing, the hash table is divided into multiple buckets, and each bucket can hold a certain number of elements. Initially, only a single bucket is allocated, and as elements are inserted, if a collision occurs, a new bucket is created and the elements are redistributed between the old and new buckets based on their hash values. This process allows for a more efficient distribution of elements and reduces the chances of collisions.
In summary, the main difference between linear probing and linear hashing in hash tables is that linear probing is a collision resolution technique that sequentially searches for an empty slot in a linear manner, while linear hashing is a dynamic hashing technique that allows the hash table to grow or shrink dynamically by redistributing elements between buckets.