BFS Traversal for Graphs and Trees Quiz

Breadth-First Search (BFS) Overview

• BFS utilizes a queue data structure for traversal, allowing it to explore nodes layer by layer, starting from a selected source node.

Visitation Tracking

• A boolean visited array is employed in BFS for graphs to keep track of which nodes have already been explored, preventing cycles and redundant processing.

BFS in Graphs vs Trees

• BFS for graphs involves navigating through a potentially cyclic structure, necessitating the use of the visited array to avoid re-visiting nodes, while trees do not have cycles, often rendering the visited array unnecessary.
• In trees, BFS operates similarly to graphs but does not require tracking visited nodes due to the absence of cycles and multiple paths between nodes.

Key Differences Recap

• Graphs may contain cycles, thus BFS must manage node re-visitation using the visited array, whereas trees inherently provide a clear hierarchical path without cycles.
• The core mechanics of BFS remain consistent across both structures; the main distinction lies in the necessity for cycle prevention and node management in graphs versus the straightforward traversal in trees.