What is Breadth-First Search?
Breadth-First Search (BFS) is a fundamental algorithm for searching and traversing a graph or tree data structure. Starting at the root (or an arbitrary node), the algorithm explores all neighbors at the present "depth" before moving on to nodes at the next depth level.
How BFS Works
- Initialize a queue and enqueue the starting vertex.
- Mark the starting vertex as visited.
- While the queue is not empty, repeat the following:
- Dequeue a vertex from the queue.
- Process the dequeued vertex.
- For each unvisited adjacent vertex, mark it as visited and enqueue it.
Applications of BFS
BFS is used in various applications, such as:
- Finding the shortest path in an unweighted graph.
- Web crawlers in mining the websites.
- GPS navigation systems.
- Social networking websites.
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