DFS Traversal of a Tree using Recursion in C

The following C program, using recursion, performs a Depth First Search traversal. Depth-first search (DFS) is an algorithm for traversing or searching a tree, tree structure or graph. The concept of backtracking is used in DFS. In this program we are performing DFS on a binary tree. In DFS, the deepest and univisited node is visited and backtracks to it’s parent node if no siblings of that node exists.

Conditions: The DFS works on acyclic graph. DFS may fail if it enters a cycle. Care must be taken by not extending a path to a node if it already has.

Here is the source code of the C program to apply DFS on a binary tree recursively. The C program is successfully compiled and run on a Linux system. The program output is also shown below.

```
/*
```

 * C Program for Depth First Binary Tree Search using Recursion

```
 */
```
```
#include <stdio.h>
```
```
#include <stdlib.h>
```
```
 
```
```
struct node
```
```
{
```
```
    int a;
```
```
    struct node *left;
```
```
    struct node *right;
```
```
};
```
```
 
```
```
void generate(struct node **, int);
```
```
void DFS(struct node *);
```
```
void delete(struct node **);
```
```
 
```
```
int main()
```
```
{
```
```
    struct node *head = NULL;
```
```
    int choice = 0, num, flag = 0, key;
```
```
 
```
```
    do
```
```
    {
```

        printf("\nEnter your choice:\n1. Insert\n2. Perform DFS Traversal\n3. Exit\nChoice: ");

```
        scanf("%d", &choice);
```
```
        switch(choice)
```
```
        {
```
```
        case 1: 
```

            printf("Enter element to insert: ");

```
            scanf("%d", &num);
```
```
            generate(&head, num);
```
```
            break;
```
```
        case 2: 
```
```
            DFS(head);
```
```
            break;
```
```
        case 3: 
```
```
            delete(&head);
```

            printf("Memory Cleared\nPROGRAM TERMINATED\n");

```
            break;
```
```
        default: 
```

            printf("Not a valid input, try again\n");

```
        }
```
```
    } while (choice != 3);
```
```
    return 0;
```
```
}
```
```
 
```

void generate(struct node **head, int num)

```
{
```

    struct node *temp = *head, *prev = *head;

```
 
```
```
    if (*head == NULL)
```
```
    {
```

        *head = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));

```
        (*head)->a = num;
```

        (*head)->left = (*head)->right = NULL;

```
    }
```
```
    else
```
```
    {
```
```
        while (temp != NULL)
```
```
        {
```
```
            if (num > temp->a)
```
```
            {
```
```
                prev = temp;
```
```
                temp = temp->right;
```
```
            }
```
```
            else
```
```
            {
```
```
                prev = temp;
```
```
                temp = temp->left;
```
```
            }
```
```
        }
```

        temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));

```
        temp->a = num;
```
```
        if (num >= prev->a)
```
```
        {
```
```
            prev->right = temp;
```
```
        }
```
```
        else
```
```
        {
```
```
            prev->left = temp;
```
```
        }
```
```
    }
```
```
}
```
```
 
```
```
void DFS(struct node *head)
```
```
{
```
```
    if (head)
```
```
    {
```
```
        if (head->left)
```
```
        {
```
```
            DFS(head->left);
```
```
        }
```
```
        if (head->right)
```
```
        {
```
```
            DFS(head->right);
```
```
        }
```
```
        printf("%d  ", head->a);
```
```
    }
```
```
}
```
```
 
```
```
void delete(struct node **head)
```
```
{
```
```
    if (*head != NULL)
```
```
    {
```
```
        if ((*head)->left)
```
```
        {
```
```
            delete(&(*head)->left);
```
```
        }
```
```
        if ((*head)->right)
```
```
        {
```
```
            delete(&(*head)->right);
```
```
        }
```
```
        free(*head);
```
```
    }
```
```
}
```

$ cc pgm34.c
$ a.out
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 5
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 3
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 4
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 2
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 7
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 8
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 1
Enter element to insert: 6
 
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 2
2  4  3  6  8  7  5  
Enter your choice:
1. Insert
2. Perform DFS Traversal
3. Exit
Choice: 3
Memory Cleared
PROGRAM TERMINATED

Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – 1000 C Programs.

Here’s the list of Best Books in C Programming, Data-Structures and Algorithms

If you wish to look at other example programs on Trees, go to Trees. If you wish to look at programming examples on all topics, go to C Programming Examples.

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