explaingit

c4pt0r/skiplist

Analysis updated 2026-07-17 · repo last pushed 2012-10-04

★ 3CAudience · researcherComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · easy

TLDR

A lightweight, toy C implementation of a skip list, a fast, randomized data structure for searching, inserting, and deleting sorted data.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Sorted data structure
      Fast search
      Randomized levels
    Tech stack
      C
    Use cases
      Learning data structures
      Reference implementation
      Algorithm exploration
    Audience
      Students
      C developers

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Study how skip lists work at a fundamental level as a data structures learning exercise.

USE CASE 2

Use as a simple, self-contained reference when a C project needs a skip list.

USE CASE 3

Compare skip list performance and complexity against balanced trees for coursework.

USE CASE 4

Explore how randomization decides which items appear at which levels.

What is it built with?

C

How does it compare?

c4pt0r/skiplistamichail-1/orbination-whisper-aiandrewrk/libogg
Stars333
LanguageCCC
Last pushed2012-10-04—2026-03-31
MaintenanceDormant—Maintained
Setup difficultyeasyeasyeasy
Complexity2/54/52/5
Audienceresearcherdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Walk me through how this skip list implementation decides which level a new item goes on.
Prompt 2
Explain how search works in this skip list compared to a balanced binary tree.
Prompt 3
Help me extend this C skip list to support a custom comparison function for my own data type.
Prompt 4
Show me how to trace through an insert operation in this skip list step by step.

Frequently asked questions

What is skiplist?

A lightweight, toy C implementation of a skip list, a fast, randomized data structure for searching, inserting, and deleting sorted data.

What language is skiplist written in?

Mainly C. The stack also includes C.

Is skiplist actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2012-10-04).

How hard is skiplist to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is skiplist for?

Mainly researcher.

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