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C++
  • 1. C++ Basics
    • 1.1 Input, Output, and Program Structure
      • 1.1.1 Welcome to Data Structures in C++
      • 1.1.2 Hello World
      • 1.1.3 Input and Output
      • 1.1.4 getline and cin
      • 1.1.5 Program Structure
    • 1.2 Basic Data Types
      • 1.2.1 Basic Data Types
        • 1.2.1.1 Differences between C++ and Java Data Types and Variables
      • 1.2.2 Strings and Characters
      • 1.2.3 Numbers
      • 1.2.4 Booleans
    • 1.3 Conditional Statements
      • 1.3.1 Conditional Statements
      • 1.3.2 Basic If/Else Statements
      • 1.3.3 Comparing Strings
      • 1.3.4 Logical Operators
    • 1.4 Loops
      • 1.4.1 Loops
      • 1.4.2 For Loops
      • 1.4.3 While Loops
      • 1.4.4 Searching a String
    • 1.5 Functions in C++
      • 1.5.1 Functions in C++
      • 1.5.2 Defining and Calling Functions
      • 1.5.3 Passing by Reference vs Value
      • 1.5.4 Function Prototypes
  • 2. Going Beyond the Basics
    • 2.1 Vector Basics
      • 2.1.1 Vector Basics
      • 2.1.2 Creating and Accessing Vectors
      • 2.1.3 Inserting into a Vector
      • 2.1.4 Looping Through a Vector
    • 2.2 Function Default Values
      • 2.2.1 Function Default Values
      • 2.2.2 Default Values
      • 2.2.3 Default Values with a Prototype
      • 2.2.4 Example: Splitting a String
    • 2.3 Structs
      • 2.3.1 Structs
      • 2.3.2 Defining and Accessing Structs
      • 2.3.3 Using Structs: Line Length
    • 2.4 File Input/Output
      • 2.4.1 File Input/Output
      • 2.4.2 Reading in a File
      • 2.4.3 Processing a File
      • 2.4.4 Writing to a File
      • 2.4.5 Creating an Input Stream from a String
    • 2.5 Error Handling
      • 2.5.1 Error Handling
      • 2.5.2 Validating a Number
      • 2.5.3 Validating a Vector Index
      • 2.5.4 Throwing Other Values
  • 3. Libraries
    • 3.1 Header Files
      • 3.1.1 Header Files
      • 3.1.2 Header File
      • 3.1.3 Header and Implementation File
      • 3.1.4 Safer Header
    • 3.2 Using Libraries
      • 3.2.1 Using a Utilities Library
      • 3.2.2 The Util Library
  • 4. 2D Vectors, Stacks, and Queues
    • 4.1 2D Vectors
      • 4.1.1 2D Vectors
      • 4.1.2 The 2D Vector
      • 4.1.3 Creating a 2D Vector
    • 4.3 Stacks
      • 4.3.1 Stacks
      • 4.3.2 Basic Stack
      • 4.3.3 Stack Example: Reverse a String
    • 4.5 Queues
      • 4.5.1 Queues
      • 4.5.2 Basic Queues
      • 4.5.3 Queue Example: Next in Line
  • 5. Sets and Maps
    • 5.1 Pairs and Iterators
      • 5.1.1 Pairs and Iterators
      • 5.1.2 Pairs
      • 5.1.3 Iterators
    • 5.3 Sets
      • 5.3.1 Sets
      • 5.3.2 Basic Sets
      • 5.3.3 Iterating Through a Set
      • 5.3.4 Sets of Struct Values
    • 5.4 Maps
      • 5.4.1 Maps
      • 5.4.2 Map Basics
      • 5.4.3 Iterating Through a Map
      • 5.4.4 Updating Maps
  • 6. Recursion
    • 6.1 Functional Recursion
      • 6.1.1 Functional Recursion
      • 6.1.2 Basic Recursive Problem: Exponential
      • 6.1.3 Recursion Example: Reverse String
      • 6.1.4 Recursion Example: Make Sum
    • 6.2 Procedural Recursion
      • 6.2.1 Procedural Recursion
      • 6.2.2 Print Binary
      • 6.2.3 Print Permutations
      • 6.2.4 Depth vs Breadth Search
  • 7. Pointers, Linked Lists, and Graphs
    • 7.1 Pointers
      • 7.1.1 Pointers
      • 7.1.2 Assigning and Updating Pointers
      • 7.1.3 Pointers and Functions
      • 7.1.4 Pointers and Data Structures
    • 7.2 Linked Lists
      • 7.2.1 Linked Lists
      • 7.2.2 Basic Linked List
      • 7.2.3 Linked List and Recursion
      • 7.2.4 Example: Sorted Phone Book
      • 7.2.5 Doubly Linked List
    • 7.3 Graphs
      • 7.3.1 Graphs
      • 7.3.2 Basic Example: Breadth First Search
      • 7.3.3 Application: Connecting Cities
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  • Explore the Example
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  1. 6. Recursion
  2. 6.2 Procedural Recursion

6.2.4 Depth vs Breadth Search

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Last updated 3 years ago

When searching or traversing through a data structure, or in this case a list of letters, there are multiple ways to systematically traverse. In this example, you are going to look at comparing these two different searches. You will have a chance to explore these more in future lessons as well.

Depth First Search

As the name suggests, a depth-first search is one where you explore deep before you explore across. In other words, if you were to look at a tree structure, you would essentially search down the left side as far as you could go, then back up one spot and search as far down as you could go.

Here is an example of how a depth first search may look.

Notice in the example that the traversal goes to the bottom, then works its way across.

In the last example, the permutations were generated in a depth-first manner by selecting all of the A combination, then moving on to the B combination, etc.

Breadth First Search

In contrast, a breadth-first search is completed by working all the way across at one level. Only once that level is completed does the search move deeper.

Notice how the order is different. While not as pronounced with only 3 levels, you can still see how the search goes across each level before moving deeper.

Explore the Example

Take time to explore this example. The results from this example are the same as the last example, but since the function is initially set up to execute a breadth-first search, the results will print in a different order.

You can easily compare this back to the previous example by toggling the comments on and off on lines 16 and 25.

Try This Example