Behavior Trees
Behavior Trees are a hierarchical model used in artificial intelligence, robotics, and game development to structure the decision-making logic of autonomous agents. They consist of nodes representing tasks or conditions, organized in a tree structure that controls execution flow through sequences, selectors, and decorators. This approach enables modular, reusable, and easily debuggable AI behaviors, often replacing or complementing finite state machines.
Developers should learn Behavior Trees when building complex AI systems, such as in video games for NPC behavior, robotics for task planning, or autonomous systems requiring flexible decision-making. They are particularly useful for scenarios where behaviors need to be dynamic, scalable, and maintainable, as they allow for clear separation of concerns and easy modification without rewriting entire logic. For example, in game development, they help create responsive and adaptive enemy AI that can handle multiple conditions and actions efficiently.