What is the difference between A* and Dijkstra's algorithm?

Can you explain the difference between A* and Dijkstra's algorithm?

Sure! A* and Dijkstra's algorithm are both pathfinding algorithms, but they differ in their approach. Dijkstra's algorithm finds the shortest path from a starting node to all other nodes, while A* uses heuristics to find the shortest path more efficiently by focusing on the most promising paths first.

What kind of heuristics does A* use?

A* uses a heuristic function, often denoted as h(n), which estimates the cost from the current node to the goal. Common heuristics include the Euclidean distance or Manhattan distance, depending on the problem's context.

Is A* always faster than Dijkstra's?

Not necessarily. A* can be faster in many cases due to its heuristic, but its performance depends on the quality of the heuristic used. If the heuristic is not well-designed, A* can perform worse than Dijkstra's.

Can you give an example of when to use each algorithm?

Certainly! Use Dijkstra's algorithm when you need the shortest path in a graph without any heuristic information. Use A* when you have a good heuristic and want to optimize the search for the shortest path, especially in large graphs.