What is the A* algorithm and how does it work?

What is the A* algorithm and how does it work?

The A* algorithm is a popular pathfinding and graph traversal algorithm. It finds the shortest path from a start node to a target node using a heuristic to estimate the cost.

What kind of problems can the A* algorithm solve?

A* can solve various problems like navigation in maps, game development for character movement, and robotics for path planning.

Can you explain how the heuristic works in A*?

Sure! The heuristic in A* estimates the cost from the current node to the target node. It helps prioritize which paths to explore, making the search more efficient.

What are some common heuristics used with A*?

Common heuristics include the Manhattan distance, Euclidean distance, and Diagonal distance, depending on the grid layout.

Are there any limitations to the A* algorithm?

Yes, A* can be memory-intensive and may not perform well in very large search spaces without optimizations.