How do I delete a node from a binary tree in C++?

How do I delete a node from a binary tree in C++?

To delete a node from a binary tree in C++, you need to find the node, then handle three cases: no children, one child, or two children.

Can you explain the case when the node has two children?

Sure! When a node has two children, you typically find the inorder successor (the smallest node in the right subtree), replace the node's value with it, and then delete the successor.

What if the node to be deleted is the root?

If the root node is to be deleted, you can apply the same logic: find the inorder successor, replace the root's value, and then delete the successor.

Can you provide a code example for this?

Certainly! Here's a simple C++ function to delete a node from a binary tree:

Node* deleteNode(Node* root, int key) {
    if (!root) return root;
    if (key < root->data) {
        root->left = deleteNode(root->left, key);
    } else if (key > root->data) {
        root->right = deleteNode(root->right, key);
    } else {
        // Node with one child or no child
        if (!root->left) {
            Node* temp = root->right;
            delete root;
            return temp;
        } else if (!root->right) {
            Node* temp = root->left;
            delete root;
            return temp;
        }
        // Node with two children
        Node* temp = minValueNode(root->right);
        root->data = temp->data;
        root->right = deleteNode(root->right, temp->data);
    }
    return root;
}

This function handles all cases of node deletion.