We have discussed Insertion Sort for arrays. In this article, we are going to discuss Insertion Sort for a linked list. 
Below is a simple insertion sort algorithm for a linked list. 
1) Create an empty sorted (or result) list 2) Traverse the given list, do following for every node. ......a) Insert current node in sorted way in sorted or result list. 3) Change head of given linked list to head of sorted (or result) list.
Recommended: Please try your approach on {IDE} first, before moving on to the solution
The main step is (2.a) which has been covered in the below post. 
Sorted Insert for Singly Linked List
Below is the implementation of the above algorithm
C
// C program to sort link list // using insertion sort #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h>   struct node {     int data;     struct node* next; };   struct node* head = NULL; struct node* sorted = NULL;   void push(int val) {     /* allocate node */    struct node* newnode         = (struct node*)malloc(sizeof(struct node));     newnode->data = val;     /* link the old list of the new node */    newnode->next = head;     /* move the head to point to the new node */    head = newnode; }   /*  * function to insert a new_node in a list. Note that  * this function expects a pointer to head_ref as this  * can modify the head of the input linked list  * (similar to push())  */void sortedInsert(struct node* newnode) {     /* Special case for the head end */    if (sorted == NULL || sorted->data >= newnode->data) {         newnode->next = sorted;         sorted = newnode;     }     else {         struct node* current = sorted;         /* Locate the node before the point of insertion          */        while (current->next != NULL                && current->next->data < newnode->data) {             current = current->next;         }         newnode->next = current->next;         current->next = newnode;     } }   // function to sort a singly linked list  // using insertion sort void insertionsort() {       struct node* current = head;       // Traverse the given linked list and insert every     // node to sorted     while (current != NULL) {           // Store next for next iteration         struct node* next = current->next;           // insert current in sorted linked list         sortedInsert(current);           // Update current         current = next;     }     // Update head to point to sorted linked list     head = sorted; }   /* Function to print linked list */void printlist(struct node* head) {     while (head != NULL) {         printf("%d->", head->data);         head = head->next;     }     printf("NULL"); }   // Driver program to test above functions int main() {       push(5);     push(20);     push(4);     push(3);     push(30);       printf("Linked List before sorting:\n");     printlist(head);     printf("\n");       insertionsort(head);       printf("Linked List after sorting:\n");     printlist(head); }   // This code is contributed by Sornodeep Chandra | 
C++
// C++ program to sort link list // using insertion sort #include <bits/stdc++.h> using namespace std;   struct Node {     int val;     struct Node* next;     Node(int x)     {         val = x;         next = NULL;     } };   class LinkedlistIS {   public:     Node* head;     Node* sorted;       void push(int val)     {         /* allocate node */        Node* newnode = new Node(val);         /* link the old list of the new node */        newnode->next = head;         /* move the head to point to the new node */        head = newnode;     }       // function to sort a singly linked list using insertion     // sort     void insertionSort(Node* headref)     {         // Initialize sorted linked list         sorted = NULL;         Node* current = headref;         // Traverse the given linked list and insert every         // node to sorted         while (current != NULL) {             // Store next for next iteration             Node* next = current->next;             // insert current in sorted linked list             sortedInsert(current);             // Update current             current = next;         }         // Update head_ref to point to sorted linked list         head = sorted;     }       /*      * function to insert a new_node in a list. Note that      * this function expects a pointer to head_ref as this      * can modify the head of the input linked list      * (similar to push())      */    void sortedInsert(Node* newnode)     {         /* Special case for the head end */        if (sorted == NULL || sorted->val >= newnode->val) {             newnode->next = sorted;             sorted = newnode;         }         else {             Node* current = sorted;             /* Locate the node before the point of insertion              */            while (current->next != NULL                    && current->next->val < newnode->val) {                 current = current->next;             }             newnode->next = current->next;             current->next = newnode;         }     }     /* Function to print linked list */    void printlist(Node* head)     {         while (head != NULL) {             cout << head->val << " ";             head = head->next;         }     } }; // Driver program to test above functions int main() {     LinkedlistIS list;     list.head = NULL;     list.push(5);     list.push(20);     list.push(4);     list.push(3);     list.push(30);     cout << "Linked List before sorting" << endl;     list.printlist(list.head);     cout << endl;     list.insertionSort(list.head);     cout << "Linked List After sorting" << endl;     list.printlist(list.head); }   // This code is contributed by nirajgusain5 | 
Java
// Java program to sort link list // using insertion sort   public class LinkedlistIS  {     node head;     node sorted;       class node      {         int val;         node next;           public node(int val)          {             this.val = val;         }     }       void push(int val)      {         /* allocate node */        node newnode = new node(val);         /* link the old list of the new node */        newnode.next = head;         /* move the head to point to the new node */        head = newnode;     }       // function to sort a singly linked list using insertion sort     void insertionSort(node headref)      {         // Initialize sorted linked list         sorted = null;         node current = headref;         // Traverse the given linked list and insert every         // node to sorted         while (current != null)          {             // Store next for next iteration             node next = current.next;             // insert current in sorted linked list             sortedInsert(current);             // Update current             current = next;         }         // Update head_ref to point to sorted linked list         head = sorted;     }       /*      * function to insert a new_node in a list. Note that       * this function expects a pointer to head_ref as this      * can modify the head of the input linked list       * (similar to push())      */    void sortedInsert(node newnode)      {         /* Special case for the head end */        if (sorted == null || sorted.val >= newnode.val)          {             newnode.next = sorted;             sorted = newnode;         }         else         {             node current = sorted;             /* Locate the node before the point of insertion */            while (current.next != null && current.next.val < newnode.val)              {                 current = current.next;             }             newnode.next = current.next;             current.next = newnode;         }     }       /* Function to print linked list */    void printlist(node head)      {         while (head != null)          {             System.out.print(head.val + " ");             head = head.next;         }     }           // Driver program to test above functions     public static void main(String[] args)      {         LinkedlistIS list = new LinkedlistIS();         list.push(5);         list.push(20);         list.push(4);         list.push(3);         list.push(30);         System.out.println("Linked List before Sorting..");         list.printlist(list.head);         list.insertionSort(list.head);         System.out.println("\nLinkedList After sorting");         list.printlist(list.head);     } }   // This code is contributed by Rishabh Mahrsee  | 
Python
# Python implementation of above algorithm   # Node class  class Node:            # Constructor to initialize the node object      def __init__(self, data):          self.data = data          self.next = None  # function to sort a singly linked list using insertion sort def insertionSort(head_ref):       # Initialize sorted linked list     sorted = None      # Traverse the given linked list and insert every     # node to sorted     current = head_ref     while (current != None):               # Store next for next iteration         next = current.next          # insert current in sorted linked list         sorted = sortedInsert(sorted, current)           # Update current         current = next          # Update head_ref to point to sorted linked list     head_ref = sorted    return head_ref   # function to insert a new_node in a list. Note that this # function expects a pointer to head_ref as this can modify the # head of the input linked list (similar to push()) def sortedInsert(head_ref, new_node):       current = None          # Special case for the head end */     if (head_ref == None or (head_ref).data >= new_node.data):               new_node.next = head_ref         head_ref = new_node           else:               # Locate the node before the point of insertion          current = head_ref         while (current.next != None and            current.next.data < new_node.data):                       current = current.next                  new_node.next = current.next        current.next = new_node               return head_ref   # BELOW FUNCTIONS ARE JUST UTILITY TO TEST sortedInsert    # Function to print linked list */ def printList(head):       temp = head     while(temp != None):               print( temp.data, end = " ")         temp = temp.next      # A utility function to insert a node # at the beginning of linked list  def push( head_ref, new_data):       # allocate node     new_node = Node(0)       # put in the data      new_node.data = new_data       # link the old list of the new node      new_node.next = (head_ref)       # move the head to point to the new node      (head_ref) = new_node     return head_ref   # Driver program to test above functions   a = Nonea = push(a, 5) a = push(a, 20) a = push(a, 4) a = push(a, 3) a = push(a, 30)   print("Linked List before sorting ") printList(a)   a = insertionSort(a)   print("\nLinked List after sorting ") printList(a)   # This code is contributed by Arnab Kundu  | 
C#
// C# program to sort link list // using insertion sort using System;   public class LinkedlistIS  {     public node head;     public node sorted;       public class node      {         public int val;         public node next;           public node(int val)          {             this.val = val;         }     }       void push(int val)      {         /* allocate node */        node newnode = new node(val);                   /* link the old list of the new node */        newnode.next = head;                   /* move the head to point to the new node */        head = newnode;     }       // function to sort a singly      // linked list using insertion sort     void insertionSort(node headref)      {         // Initialize sorted linked list         sorted = null;         node current = headref;                   // Traverse the given          // linked list and insert every         // node to sorted         while (current != null)          {             // Store next for next iteration             node next = current.next;                           // insert current in sorted linked list             sortedInsert(current);                           // Update current             current = next;         }                   // Update head_ref to point to sorted linked list         head = sorted;     }       /*     * function to insert a new_node in a list. Note that      * this function expects a pointer to head_ref as this     * can modify the head of the input linked list      * (similar to push())     */    void sortedInsert(node newnode)      {         /* Special case for the head end */        if (sorted == null || sorted.val >= newnode.val)          {             newnode.next = sorted;             sorted = newnode;         }         else        {             node current = sorted;                           /* Locate the node before the point of insertion */            while (current.next != null &&                      current.next.val < newnode.val)              {                 current = current.next;             }             newnode.next = current.next;             current.next = newnode;         }     }       /* Function to print linked list */    void printlist(node head)      {         while (head != null)          {             Console.Write(head.val + " ");             head = head.next;         }     }           // Driver code     public static void Main(String[] args)      {         LinkedlistIS list = new LinkedlistIS();         list.push(5);         list.push(20);         list.push(4);         list.push(3);         list.push(30);         Console.WriteLine("Linked List before Sorting..");         list.printlist(list.head);         list.insertionSort(list.head);         Console.WriteLine("\nLinkedList After sorting");         list.printlist(list.head);     } }   // This code contributed by Rajput-Ji  | 
Javascript
<script> // javascript program to sort link list // using insertion sort   var head = null;     var sorted = null;        class node {             constructor(val) {                 this.val = val;                 this.next = null;             }         }              function push(val) {         /* allocate node */        var newnode = new node(val);         /* link the old list of the new node */        newnode.next = head;         /* move the head to point to the new node */        head = newnode;     }       // function to sort a singly linked list using insertion sort     function insertionSort( headref) {         // Initialize sorted linked list         var sorted = null;         var current = headref;         // Traverse the given linked list and insert every         // node to sorted         while (current != null) {             // Store next for next iteration             var next = current.next;             // insert current in sorted linked list             sortedInsert(current);             // Update current             current = next;         }         // Update head_ref to point to sorted linked list         head = sorted;     }       /*      * function to insert a new_node in a  Note that this function expects a      * pointer to head_ref as this can modify the head of the input linked list      * (similar to push())      */    function sortedInsert( newnode) {         /* Special case for the head end */        if (sorted == null || sorted.val >= newnode.val) {             newnode.next = sorted;             sorted = newnode;         } else {             var current = sorted;             /* Locate the node before the point of insertion */            while (current.next != null && current.next.val < newnode.val) {                 current = current.next;             }             newnode.next = current.next;             current.next = newnode;         }     }       /* Function to print linked list */    function printlist( head) {         while (head != null) {             document.write(head.val + " ");             head = head.next;         }     }       // Driver program to test above functions                     push(5);         push(20);         push(4);         push(3);         push(30);         document.write("Linked List before Sorting..<br/>");         printlist(head);         insertionSort(head);         document.write("<br/>LinkedList After sorting<br/>");         printlist(sorted);   // This code contributed by aashish1995  </script>  | 
Output:
Linked List before sorting 30 3 4 20 5 Linked List after sorting 3 4 5 20 30
Time and space complexity analysis:
In the worst case, we might have to traverse all nodes of the sorted list for inserting a node. And there are “n” such nodes.
Thus Time Complexity: O(n)*O(n)=O(n^2)
Space Complexity: No extra space is required depending on the size of the input. Thus Space complexity is constant- O(1).
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