[qwertyuiop924]

True. But they're also very simple.

It's okay to lean on the hardware a bit, provided you're careful: most programmers don't have to squeeze maximal performace out of the hardware, just good enough performance. The extra code you need to make arrays work may not be worth the speed boost.

Also, if you're working in an HLL, investigate your implementation details. In Common Lisp, for example, a lot of work has been put into making LLs as fast as possible: If you create a list with QUOTE (such lists are immutable), then thanks to an optimization called CDR-coding, you'll get a data layout very similar to an array under the hood.

OTOH, it is important to understand why LL perf isn't actually what the textbooks claim, and to consider using a different structure in contexts where performance matters. Just don't go too far the other way, either: LLs aren't dead just yet.

[dom0]

I believe (intrusive, as they usually are) LLs are so prevalent in C applications mainly because they are the simplest-ever list structure where insertion and deletion of items is just a no-brainer to implement in a couple lines of C macros. They are also inherently self-describing (ie. you don't need to pass around anything except one pointer).

And this is totally fine in many places. However, when the list is frequently (ie. performance is relevant) used, then it's likely that a LL is not the right choice. And usually one notices that in these cases no LL is used. For example, one might use a LL for a list of drivers, while eg. directory entries will be kept in a hash-table, tree or trie.

[qwertyuiop924]

...sounds about right.