12/27/2014

Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures

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Depthfirstsearch(DFS)forundirectedgraphs

C++
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Depthfirstsearch,orDFS,isawaytotraversethegraph.Initiallyitallowsvisitingverticesofthegraphonly,
buttherearehundredsofalgorithmsforgraphs,whicharebasedonDFS.Therefore,understandingtheprinciples
ofdepthfirstsearchisquiteimportanttomoveaheadintothegraphtheory.Theprincipleofthealgorithmisquite
simple:togoforward(indepth)whilethereissuchpossibility,otherwisetobacktrack.

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Algorithm

C++codesnippets
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InDFS,eachvertexhasthreepossiblecolorsrepresentingitsstate:
white:vertexisunvisited

Supportus
gray:vertexisinprogress
towrite
moretutorials

black:DFShasfinishedprocessingthevertex.
NB.For most algorithms boolean classification unvisited / visited is quite enough, but we show general case
here.

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visualizers

Initiallyallverticesarewhite(unvisited).DFSstartsinarbitraryvertexandrunsasfollows:
1. Markvertexuasgray(visited).
2. Foreachedge(u,v),whereuiswhite,rundepthfirstsearchforurecursively.
3. Markvertexuasblackandbacktracktotheparent.
Example.Traverseagraphshownbelow,usingDFS.Startfromavertexwithnumber1.

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Markavertex1asgray.

http://www.algolist.net/Algorithms/Graph/Undirected/Depth-first_search

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Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures

Thereisanedge(1,4)andavertex4isunvisited.Go
there.

Markthevertex4asgray.

Thereisanedge(4,2)andvertexa2isunvisited.Go
there.

Markthevertex2asgray.

Thereisanedge(2,5)andavertex5isunvisited.Go
there.

http://www.algolist.net/Algorithms/Graph/Undirected/Depth-first_search

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Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures

Markthevertex5asgray.

Thereisanedge(5,3)andavertex3isunvisited.Go
there.

Markthevertex3asgray.

Therearenowaystogofromthevertex3.Markitas
blackandbacktracktothevertex5.

Thereisanedge(5,4),butthevertex4isgray.
http://www.algolist.net/Algorithms/Graph/Undirected/Depth-first_search

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Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures

Therearenowaystogofromthevertex5.Markitas
blackandbacktracktothevertex2.

Therearenomoreedges,adjacenttovertex2.Markitas
blackandbacktracktothevertex4.

Thereisanedge(4,5),butthevertex5isblack.

Therearenomoreedges,adjacenttothevertex4.Markit
asblackandbacktracktothevertex1.
http://www.algolist.net/Algorithms/Graph/Undirected/Depth-first_search

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Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures

Therearenomoreedges,adjacenttothevertex1.Markit
asblack.DFSisover.

Asyoucanseefromtheexample,DFSdoesn'tgothroughalledges.Theverticesandedges,whichdepthfirst
searchhasvisitedisatree.Thistreecontainsallverticesofthegraph(ifitisconnected)andiscalledgraph
spanningtree.ThistreeexactlycorrespondstotherecursivecallsofDFS.
If a graph is disconnected, DFS won't visit all of its vertices. For details, see finding connected components
algorithm.

Complexityanalysis
Assumethatgraphisconnected.Depthfirstsearchvisitseveryvertexinthegraphandcheckseveryedgeits
edge.Therefore,DFScomplexityisO(V+E).Asitwasmentionedbefore,ifanadjacencymatrixisusedfor
a graph representation, then all edges, adjacent to a vertex can't be found efficiently, that results in O(V2)
complexity.YoucanfindstrongproofoftheDFScomplexityissuesin[1].

Codesnippets
Intruththeimplementationstatedbelowgivesnoyields.YouwillfillanactualuseofDFSinfurthertutorials.
Java
publicclassGraph{

enumVertexState{
White,Gray,Black
}

publicvoidDFS()
{
VertexStatestate[]=newVertexState[vertexCount]
for(inti=0i<vertexCounti++)
state[i]=VertexState.White
runDFS(0,state)
}

publicvoidrunDFS(intu,VertexState[]state)
{
state[u]=VertexState.Gray
for(intv=0v<vertexCountv++)
if(isEdge(u,v)&&state[v]==VertexState.White)
runDFS(v,state)
state[u]=VertexState.Black
}
}

C++
enumVertexState{White,Gray,Black}

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Depth-first search (DFS) for undirected graphs :: Graph theory | Algorithms and Data Structures
voidGraph::DFS(){
VertexState*state=newVertexState[vertexCount]
for(inti=0i<vertexCounti++)
state[i]=White
runDFS(0,state)
delete[]state
}

voidGraph::runDFS(intu,VertexStatestate[]){
state[u]=Gray
for(intv=0v<vertexCountv++)
if(isEdge(u,v)&&state[v]==White)
runDFS(v,state)
state[u]=Black
}

Visualizers
1. GraphTraversalinJavaAppletsCentre

Recommendedbooks
1. Cormen,Leiserson,Rivest.Introductiontoalgorithms.(Theory)
2. Aho,Ullman,Hopcroft.DataStructuresandAlgorithms.(Theory)
3. RobertLafore.DataStructuresandAlgorithmsinJava.(Practice)
4. MarkAllenWeiss.DataStructuresandProblemSolvingUsingC++.(Practice)

Threeresponsesto"Depthfirstsearch(DFS)forundirectedgraphstutorial"
1. ajonApril9,2009said:
tutorialissogood,interactiveandeasytounderstand
2. LeToanonApril8,2009said:
thankyouverymuchaboutDFS
3. elahehonMar28,2009said:
itwasreallygreatthanks
Like 77peoplelikethis.Bethefirstofyourfriends.

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