Dijkstra Algorithm Questions Medium
The Dijkstra Algorithm, named after its creator Edsger Dijkstra, is a popular algorithm used to find the shortest path between two nodes in a graph. It is commonly used in various applications such as network routing, transportation planning, and computer networks.
The algorithm works by iteratively exploring the graph from the starting node to all other nodes, updating the shortest path and distance values as it progresses. It maintains a priority queue of nodes, where the node with the smallest distance is always selected next for exploration.
Initially, all nodes except the starting node are assigned a distance value of infinity. The algorithm starts by setting the distance of the starting node to 0. Then, it selects the node with the smallest distance from the priority queue and examines its neighboring nodes.
For each neighboring node, the algorithm calculates the distance from the starting node through the current node. If this distance is smaller than the previously recorded distance for that node, the distance value is updated. This process continues until all nodes have been visited or the destination node is reached.
During the execution of the algorithm, a data structure called the "shortest path tree" is constructed, which keeps track of the shortest path from the starting node to each visited node. This tree is used to determine the shortest path once the algorithm terminates.
The Dijkstra Algorithm guarantees to find the shortest path in a graph with non-negative edge weights. However, it may not produce correct results if the graph contains negative edge weights or cycles.
Overall, the Dijkstra Algorithm is a fundamental and efficient method for solving the shortest path problem in graphs, making it a valuable tool in various real-world scenarios.