A* Algorithm
The A* algorithm is a widely used pathfinding and graph traversal algorithm that finds the shortest path between nodes in a weighted graph, such as a grid or network. It combines the strengths of Dijkstra's algorithm (which guarantees shortest paths) and greedy best-first search (which is fast but not always optimal) by using a heuristic function to estimate the cost to reach the goal, making it efficient for many real-world applications like video games, robotics, and route planning.
Developers should learn the A* algorithm when working on applications that require efficient pathfinding, such as game development for character movement, robotics for navigation, or logistics software for route optimization. It is particularly useful in scenarios where the search space is large but a good heuristic is available, as it balances optimality and performance better than many alternatives, making it a standard choice in AI and computer science.