On the power of standard DFS and BFS

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Bui-Xuan, Binh-Minh, Habib, Michel, de Montgolfier, Fabien, Torfs, Renaud
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
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author Bui-Xuan, Binh-Minh
Habib, Michel
de Montgolfier, Fabien
Torfs, Renaud
author_facet Bui-Xuan, Binh-Minh
Habib, Michel
de Montgolfier, Fabien
Torfs, Renaud
contents It is well-known since the seventies of last century that Depth First Search (DFS) can be used to compute strongly connected components [RE. Tarjan. SIAM Journal on Computing, 1972] and Breadth First Search (BFS) can be used to compute distance in graphs [GY. Handler. Transportation Science, 1973]. We furthermore demonstrate that these standard graph searches are powerful enough to recognize and certify several well-structured graph classes. Specifically, we provide a single DFS approach for recognizing and certifying trivially perfect graphs that is significantly simpler than previous methods using [FPM. Chu. Information Processing Letters, 2008]. We further show that a single BFS can recognize split graphs and bipartite chain graphs, and we improve upon the triple LexBFS algorithm for proper interval graphs [DG. Corneil. Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2004] by proposing a two consecutive BFS recognition scheme. These results are underpinned by characterizations using vertex orderings that avoid specific patterns [L. Feuilloley, M. Habib. SIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics, 2021]. Finally, we provide a structural study of connected proper interval graphs, proving that their characterizations via special orderings are unique up to reversal and the permutation of true twins.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_02387
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On the power of standard DFS and BFS
Bui-Xuan, Binh-Minh
Habib, Michel
de Montgolfier, Fabien
Torfs, Renaud
Data Structures and Algorithms
It is well-known since the seventies of last century that Depth First Search (DFS) can be used to compute strongly connected components [RE. Tarjan. SIAM Journal on Computing, 1972] and Breadth First Search (BFS) can be used to compute distance in graphs [GY. Handler. Transportation Science, 1973]. We furthermore demonstrate that these standard graph searches are powerful enough to recognize and certify several well-structured graph classes. Specifically, we provide a single DFS approach for recognizing and certifying trivially perfect graphs that is significantly simpler than previous methods using [FPM. Chu. Information Processing Letters, 2008]. We further show that a single BFS can recognize split graphs and bipartite chain graphs, and we improve upon the triple LexBFS algorithm for proper interval graphs [DG. Corneil. Discrete Applied Mathematics, 2004] by proposing a two consecutive BFS recognition scheme. These results are underpinned by characterizations using vertex orderings that avoid specific patterns [L. Feuilloley, M. Habib. SIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics, 2021]. Finally, we provide a structural study of connected proper interval graphs, proving that their characterizations via special orderings are unique up to reversal and the permutation of true twins.
title On the power of standard DFS and BFS
topic Data Structures and Algorithms
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.02387