addRoot

AddRoot is a term used in programming to describe an operation that adds or designates a root node in a hierarchical structure. It is commonly encountered in discussions of tree data structures, but the concept also appears in user interface component trees and certain graph-related contexts. The exact behavior of addRoot depends on the data structure and API in use.

In tree data structures, addRoot typically makes a new node the root of the tree. If the tree already has a root, the new node becomes the new top-level parent, and the existing root is attached as a child of the new root. If the structure is empty, adding a root simply creates a single-node tree. In immutable or functional styles, addRoot often returns a new tree instance with the new root, leaving the original tree unchanged and attaching the old root as a child of the new one.

In user interface and component trees, addRoot can refer to mounting or attaching a root component to a host container or to the root of a rendering tree. This usage can involve initialization, layout handling, and ensuring that the root has a valid rendering context.

Variations in terminology exist across libraries; some APIs may call similar operations prependRoot, pushRoot, or setRoot. Implementations must handle edge cases such as empty trees, preserving existing subtrees, preventing cycles, and ensuring correct parent-child relationships.

Overall, addRoot is a descriptive operation whose exact effect is defined by the surrounding data structure or framework. Its primary purpose is to introduce a new top-level node that becomes the ancestor of the existing structure. See also root node, rooted tree, and node.