Data Structures and Algorithms · Trees

Binary trees

A hierarchical structure where each node has at most two children.

Also known as: tree traversal, inorder preorder postorder.

Start a lesson on Binary trees

Learn first

• Recursion: A function solving a problem by calling itself on a smaller version of the same problem.

Leads to

• Binary search trees: A binary tree kept ordered so each node's left subtree is smaller and right subtree is larger.
• Heaps and priority queues: A tree-shaped structure that always keeps the smallest, or largest, element quick to find.
• Tries: A tree where each path from the root spells out a prefix, built for fast string lookup.
• Segment trees: A binary tree over an array that answers range queries, like sum or minimum, in logarithmic time.

Related topics

• Heaps and priority queues: A tree-shaped structure that always keeps the smallest, or largest, element quick to find.
• Tries: A tree where each path from the root spells out a prefix, built for fast string lookup.