Tree Traversal

What Does Tree Traversal Mean?

Tree traversal is a process in the use of tree models that evaluates the nodes of a tree on a systematic basis. Various types of tree traversal including depth-first and breadth-first traversal models help engineers, data scientists and others to understand the contents of a tree structure.

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Techopedia Explains Tree Traversal

In addition to depth-first and breadth-first models, those analyzing a tree can use pre-order, in-order or post-order tree traversal options to evaluate nodes in particular ways. For example, suppose that someone set up a binary tree with a depth of three nodes and full node doubling at each point. Using an in-order tree traversal, the program would utilize instructions including traverse left, evaluate and traverse right, to set up a number of nodes in outputs. In this format, the computer would move to the end of a tree and document the bottom nodes first, before moving back to the middle or second layer and recording those nodes, and finally ending up at the top individual node from which all of the other nodes branched.

Tree traversals are a common utility in digital technology setups with tree structures, including neural networks that may function through the use of decision trees. Another use of tree traversal is in a model called “random forest” where various trees form a collective “forest” of strong statistical analysis. Again, tree traversal works on the basis of analyzing the nodes of a given tree and examining its contents.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…