Before formally investigating the intersection of two single-chain lists, let's look at a paving problem:

[Question] Determine if a chain list has rings.Returns the first entry point if there is a ring; returns null if there is no ring.

Solution 1: Hash table

public static Node getFirstLoopNode(Node head) {
	HashSet<Node> set = new HashSet<Node>();
	while(head!=null) {
		if(set.contains(head)) {
			return head;
		}
		set.add(head); //Memory Address
		head = head.next;		
	}
	return null;
}

Solution 2: Quick or slow pointer without hash table

	public static Node getLoopNode(Node head) {
		if (head == null || head.next == null || head.next.next == null) {
			return null;
		}
		Node n1 = head.next; // n1 -> slow
		Node n2 = head.next.next; // n2 -> fast
		while (n1 != n2) {
			if (n2.next == null || n2.next.next == null) {
				return null;
			}
			n2 = n2.next.next;
			n1 = n1.next;
		}
		n2 = head; // n2 -> walk again from head
		while (n1 != n2) {
			n1 = n1.next;
			n2 = n2.next;
		}
		return n1;
	}

So we get the first entry point getLoopNode, and we will solve the intersection of two single-chain tables:

In this topic, a single-chain list may or may not have rings.Given the header nodes head1 and head2 of two single-chain lists, they may or may not intersect.Implement a function that returns the first node that intersects if two lists of chains intersect, or null if they do not.
Requirements: If the length of Chain Table 1 is N, the length of Chain Table 2 is M, the time complexity should be O(N+M), and the extra space complexity should be O(1).

[Analysis] Based on the getLoopNode mentioned above, we can get the first entry point of two chain lists, Loop1 and Loop2, respectively. Correspondingly, according to whether Loop1 and Loop2 are null, they are also divided into the following three cases:

(1) Loop1=null and Loop2=null, that is, both single-chain tables do not have rings.

Solution 1: Hash table

Solution 2: Do not use hash tables

	public static Node noLoop(Node head1, Node head2) {
		if (head1 == null || head2 == null) {
			return null;
		}
		Node cur1 = head1;
		Node cur2 = head2;
		int n = 0;	//n is the absolute value of the difference
		while (cur1.next != null) {
			n++;
			cur1 = cur1.next;
		}
		while (cur2.next != null) {
			n--;
			cur2 = cur2.next;
		}
		if (cur1 != cur2) {
			return null;
		}
		cur1 = n > 0 ? head1 : head2;
		cur2 = cur1 == head1 ? head2 : head1;
		n = Math.abs(n);
		while (n != 0) {
			n--;
			cur1 = cur1.next;
		}
		while (cur1 != cur2) {
			cur1 = cur1.next;
			cur2 = cur2.next;
		}
		return cur1;
	}

(2) A single-chain list has rings and a single-chain list has no rings.

In this case, if two single-chain tables intersect, one pointer of the single-chain table will point to two nodes, destroying the structure of the single-chain table, so it is impossible to intersect in this case.

(3) Neither Loop1 nor Loop2 is equal to null, that is, both single-chain tables have rings.

After analysis, the complete reference code is given below:

package basic_class_03;

public class Code_14_FindFirstIntersectNode {

	public static class Node {
		public int value;
		public Node next;

		public Node(int data) {
			this.value = data;
		}
	}

	public static Node getIntersectNode(Node head1, Node head2) {
		if (head1 == null || head2 == null) {
			return null;
		}
		Node loop1 = getLoopNode(head1);
		Node loop2 = getLoopNode(head2);
		if (loop1 == null && loop2 == null) {
			return noLoop(head1, head2);
		}
		if (loop1 != null && loop2 != null) {
			return bothLoop(head1, loop1, head2, loop2);
		}
		return null;
	}

	public static Node getLoopNode(Node head) {
		if (head == null || head.next == null || head.next.next == null) {
			return null;
		}
		Node n1 = head.next; // n1 -> slow
		Node n2 = head.next.next; // n2 -> fast
		while (n1 != n2) {
			if (n2.next == null || n2.next.next == null) {
				return null;
			}
			n2 = n2.next.next;
			n1 = n1.next;
		}
		n2 = head; // n2 -> walk again from head
		while (n1 != n2) {
			n1 = n1.next;
			n2 = n2.next;
		}
		return n1;
	}

	public static Node noLoop(Node head1, Node head2) {
		if (head1 == null || head2 == null) {
			return null;
		}
		Node cur1 = head1;
		Node cur2 = head2;
		int n = 0;	//n is the absolute value of the difference
		while (cur1.next != null) {
			n++;
			cur1 = cur1.next;
		}
		while (cur2.next != null) {
			n--;
			cur2 = cur2.next;
		}
		if (cur1 != cur2) {
			return null;
		}
		cur1 = n > 0 ? head1 : head2;
		cur2 = cur1 == head1 ? head2 : head1;
		n = Math.abs(n);
		while (n != 0) {
			n--;
			cur1 = cur1.next;
		}
		while (cur1 != cur2) {
			cur1 = cur1.next;
			cur2 = cur2.next;
		}
		return cur1;
	}

	public static Node bothLoop(Node head1, Node loop1, Node head2, Node loop2) {
		Node cur1 = null;
		Node cur2 = null;
		if (loop1 == loop2) {
			cur1 = head1;
			cur2 = head2;
			int n = 0;
			while (cur1 != loop1) {
				n++;
				cur1 = cur1.next;
			}
			while (cur2 != loop2) {
				n--;
				cur2 = cur2.next;
			}
			cur1 = n > 0 ? head1 : head2;
			cur2 = cur1 == head1 ? head2 : head1;
			n = Math.abs(n);
			while (n != 0) {
				n--;
				cur1 = cur1.next;
			}
			while (cur1 != cur2) {
				cur1 = cur1.next;
				cur2 = cur2.next;
			}
			return cur1;
		} else {
			cur1 = loop1.next;
			while (cur1 != loop1) {
				if (cur1 == loop2) {
					return loop1;
				}
				cur1 = cur1.next;
			}
			return null;
		}
	}

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		// 1->2->3->4->5->6->7->null
		Node head1 = new Node(1);
		head1.next = new Node(2);
		head1.next.next = new Node(3);
		head1.next.next.next = new Node(4);
		head1.next.next.next.next = new Node(5);
		head1.next.next.next.next.next = new Node(6);
		head1.next.next.next.next.next.next = new Node(7);

		// 0->9->8->6->7->null
		Node head2 = new Node(0);
		head2.next = new Node(9);
		head2.next.next = new Node(8);
		head2.next.next.next = head1.next.next.next.next.next; // 8->6
		System.out.println(getIntersectNode(head1, head2).value);

		// 1->2->3->4->5->6->7->4...
		head1 = new Node(1);
		head1.next = new Node(2);
		head1.next.next = new Node(3);
		head1.next.next.next = new Node(4);
		head1.next.next.next.next = new Node(5);
		head1.next.next.next.next.next = new Node(6);
		head1.next.next.next.next.next.next = new Node(7);
		head1.next.next.next.next.next.next = head1.next.next.next; // 7->4

		// 0->9->8->2...
		head2 = new Node(0);
		head2.next = new Node(9);
		head2.next.next = new Node(8);
		head2.next.next.next = head1.next; // 8->2
		System.out.println(getIntersectNode(head1, head2).value);

		// 0->9->8->6->4->5->6..
		head2 = new Node(0);
		head2.next = new Node(9);
		head2.next.next = new Node(8);
		head2.next.next.next = head1.next.next.next.next.next; // 8->6
		System.out.println(getIntersectNode(head1, head2).value);

	}

}