What is topological sorting and how is it used?

What is topological sorting and how is it used?

Topological sorting is an ordering of the vertices in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) such that for every directed edge u -> v, vertex u comes before vertex v in the ordering. It's commonly used in scheduling tasks, where certain tasks must be completed before others.

Can you give me an example of where topological sorting is applied?

Sure! A common application is in project management, where tasks have dependencies. For instance, if task A must be completed before task B, topological sorting helps determine the order in which tasks should be performed.

What algorithms are used for topological sorting?

The two most common algorithms for topological sorting are Kahn's algorithm and Depth-First Search (DFS). Kahn's algorithm uses in-degree of vertices, while DFS explores the graph recursively.

Are there any limitations to topological sorting?

Yes, topological sorting can only be applied to directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). If the graph has cycles, a topological sort is not possible.