Trie

Definitions

1. A tree-like data structure (also called a prefix tree) where each node represents a character and paths from root to leaf represent stored strings. Enables O(m) lookup (m = key length, independent of dataset size), prefix search, and autocomplete. Used in search engines, routers (IP routing), and spell checkers.

   In plain English: A tree-shaped data structure for storing strings that makes prefix searches (like autocomplete) extremely fast.

   Example: "The autocomplete uses a trie — typing 'jav' instantly finds 'java', 'javascript', and 'javelin' without scanning all terms."

Related Terms

• Array
• Backtracking
• Binary Tree
• Cell Array
• Collections
• Distributed Array
• Enum
• Graph