pathtarget

Pathtarget is a term used in graph theory, routing, and dataflow modeling to denote the final node or endpoint that a defined path is intended to reach. It is the destination shared by all nodes along the path’s progression and serves as the objective for path construction and evaluation.

In graph theory, a path is a sequence of nodes connected by edges. The pathtarget is the last node in this sequence. In directed graphs, the pathtarget represents where a path terminates, though some contexts allow loops or repeated visits if cycles are permitted. When a path is described by a start node and a pathtarget, the problem often becomes finding a valid path that reaches that destination under given constraints.

In routing and navigation, pathtarget informs route planning and decision-making. Pathfinding algorithms such as Dijkstra’s or A* seek sequences of moves that lead from a starting point to the pathtarget with minimal cost, distance, or time. The concept helps distinguish the objective from intermediate waypoints or routes, and it can be used to compare alternative destinations or to enforce constraints like avoiding certain regions.

In software design and dataflow models, a pathtarget can denote the downstream component or sink that consumes a data stream or control signal. This framing supports analyses of reachability, dependency, and termination conditions within pipelines or graph-based representations of processes.

Examples of pathtarget arise in city navigation (the pathtarget is the chosen destination), network routing (the pathtarget is a specific server), and workflow graphs (the pathtarget is the final processing node).

See also: pathfinding, shortest path problem, route planning, graph theory.