Dijkstra’s Algorithm vs A* Search

Dijkstra’s algorithm and A* are both shortest-path algorithms, but they differ in how they explore the graph. Dijkstra’s algorithm is uninformed: it expands nodes in order of increasing path cost from the start and guarantees the shortest path to all reachable nodes, making it reliable but potentially inefficient on large graphs. 

A* is informed: it uses a heuristic function to estimate the remaining cost to the goal and prioritizes nodes with the lowest combined actual cost plus heuristic, which typically makes it much faster and more focused. When the heuristic is admissible and consistent, A* is both complete and optimal; when the heuristic is zero, A* effectively reduces to Dijkstra’s algorithm.


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