C structure with pointer to self

Question

Hi!

Is it posible to define a structure with a pointer to that type of structure? What I mean is:

typedef struct {
    char* name;
    node* parent;
} node;

As far as I tried or read, I don't know how to do this or if it's even possible.

Answer 1

Yes this is possible.

This is how linked lists are made!

Answer 2

Yes, but you have to name the structure, so that you can refer to it.

typedef struct node_ {
    char* name;
    struct node_ * parent;
} node;

The name node only becomes declared after the structure is fully defined.

Answer 3

Why don't you try it? You have to put a name to the structure, and yes, this is the way in that recursive data structures works.

Answer 4

I agree... and trees. You don't have to look at it like "the egg and the chiken" because defining a type always occurs before instantiating one. So having a member variable of the same type of the object is just tricky when you begin to mix the two in your head!

Answer 5

You can use an incomplete type in the typedef:

typedef struct node node;

struct node {
  char *name;
  node *parent;
};