Traversal

Traversal refers to the process of systematically visiting or accessing each element in a data structure. In computer science, it is a fundamental operation applied to various data structures including arrays, linked lists, trees, and graphs.

In tree traversal, there are three primary methods: preorder, inorder, and postorder. Preorder visits the root before its subtrees, inorder visits the left subtree, root, then right subtree, while postorder visits subtrees before the root. Each method serves different purposes depending on the application.

Graph traversal algorithms include depth-first search (DFS) and breadth-first search (BFS). DFS explores as far as possible along each branch before backtracking, while BFS explores all neighbors at the present depth before moving to nodes at the next depth level.

Traversal techniques are essential for searching, sorting, and manipulating data structures efficiently. Understanding these methods is crucial for algorithm design and problem-solving in computer science applications.