Editing Priority queue (section)

=== Best-first search algorithms ===

[[Best-first search]] algorithms, like the [[A* search algorithm]], find the shortest path between two [[vertex (graph theory)|vertices]] or [[Node (graph theory)|nodes]] of a [[weighted graph]], trying out the most promising routes first. A priority queue (also known as the ''fringe'') is used to keep track of unexplored routes; the one for which the estimate (a lower bound in the case of A*) of the total path length is smallest is given highest priority. If memory limitations make best-first search impractical, variants like the [[SMA*]] algorithm can be used instead, with a [[double-ended priority queue]] to allow removal of low-priority items.