Recursive reversal
Input
head = [1, 2, 3]
Output
[3, 2, 1]
Using recursion, reverse pointers so the list becomes [3 -> 2 -> 1].
Full lesson preview
Reverse a list recursively
Reverse a singly linked list using a recursive approach.
Python practice14 minLinked ListsIntermediateLast updated March 27, 2026
Problem statement
Given the head of a singly linked list, reverse the list using recursion and return the head of the reversed list. The reversal must be done by rearranging pointers. For an empty list, return None.
Task
Use recursion to reverse a singly linked list and return the new head.
Examples
Input format
A linked list represented by its head node. Use create_linked_list([...]) to build test inputs.
Output format
Return the head node of the reversed linked list. Tests convert the returned head to a Python list.
Constraints
- Do the reversal by adjusting next pointers; do not allocate new nodes.
- Recursive depth will be at most the length of the list.
- Aim for O(n) time and O(n) call stack for recursion.
Samples
Sample 1
Input
[4, 3, 2, 1]
Output
[1, 2, 3, 4]
Recursively reverse the list to get the correct result.