A-star algorithm

As explained in Clojure: The Essential Reference

A* is a graph-search algorithm that selects paths using the sum of accumulated path cost and a heuristic estimate of remaining cost.

How Clojure: The Essential Reference covers it

How deep it goes

Explains graph representation, heuristic scoring, queue ordering, neighbor discovery, recursion, and sample routes.

Examples

Uses a cyclic location graph, composite sorted-map keys, and routes from :orig to :dest and from :d to :c.

What it assumes

Assumes graph nodes, edge costs, priority queues, sorted maps, and heuristic distance estimates.

What you can do after

Builds a small A* pathfinder in Clojure using sorted-map-by as its priority queue.

How it connects

Connects A* with priority queues, graph search, heuristics, sorted maps, and comparators.

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Also explained in

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  Classic Computer Science Problems in Swift: Essential techniques for practicing programmersA* search explores a state graph using the sum of a path cost and a heuristic estimate of the remaining cost to prioritize states.
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  Optimization Algorithms: AI techniques for design, planning, and control problemsAn informed graph search algorithm that ranks states using path cost plus a heuristic estimate of remaining cost.
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  Advanced Algorithms and Data StructuresThe A* algorithm is a best-first shortest-path search algorithm that prioritizes vertices using the cost already incurred plus a heuristic estimate of the remaining cost.
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  Grokking AI Algorithms, Second EditionA* is a heuristic graph and tree search algorithm that prioritizes nodes using the cost already incurred plus a heuristic estimate of the remaining cost to the goal.

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Related concepts

• heuristicuses · A heuristic is a practical rule or approximate method for guiding judgment, search, or problem solving without guaranteeing an exact or optimal result.
• informed searchkind of · Informed search is a search strategy that uses problem-specific knowledge or heuristic estimates to prioritize promising states or paths.
• uniform-cost searchequivalent to · Uniform-cost search is a graph-search algorithm that repeatedly expands the frontier node with the lowest accumulated path cost.
• priority queueuses · A priority queue is an abstract data type that retrieves or removes elements according to assigned priority rather than insertion order.
• distanceuses · Distance is a measure of separation between points or entities in a defined space or context.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Clojure: The Essential Reference. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.