How does depth-first search work?

Can you explain how depth-first search works?

Sure! Depth-first search (DFS) is an algorithm for traversing or searching tree or graph data structures. It starts at the root (or an arbitrary node) and explores as far as possible along each branch before backtracking.

What are the main steps involved in the DFS algorithm?

The main steps are: 1) Start at the root node, 2) Mark the node as visited, 3) Explore each unvisited adjacent node recursively, and 4) Backtrack when no unvisited nodes are left.

Can you give me an example of how DFS would work on a graph?

Absolutely! Imagine a graph with nodes A, B, C, and D. Starting at A, DFS would visit A, then B, then C, and finally backtrack to A to explore D if it exists.

What are the advantages of using DFS over other search algorithms?

DFS uses less memory than breadth-first search (BFS) since it stores only a single path from the root to a leaf node. It's also easier to implement with recursion.