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Data Structures & Algorithms

Breadth-First Search

/bredθ fɜːst sɜːtʃ/

Definition

A graph traversal visiting all neighbours at the current depth before moving deeper — uses a queue.

Example in context

"BFS finds the shortest path in an unweighted graph — each level of the queue is one step further from the source."

Related terms

  • Queue — A FIFO (First In, First Out) data structure — enqueue adds to the back, dequeue removes from the front.
  • Graph — A data structure of nodes (vertices) connected by edges — used to model networks, dependencies, and paths.

Practice this term

Master Breadth-First Search in context by working through exercises in the Data Structures & Algorithms module. You'll see the term used in real engineering scenarios with multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching drills.

Practice in exercises → Browse all words

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Breadth-First Search" mean?

A graph traversal visiting all neighbours at the current depth before moving deeper — uses a queue.

How do you pronounce "Breadth-First Search"?

"Breadth-First Search" is pronounced /bredθ fɜːst sɜːtʃ/.

Can you use "Breadth-First Search" in a sentence?

"BFS finds the shortest path in an unweighted graph — each level of the queue is one step further from the source."