Encyclopedia of Algorithms

Algorithmic research spans problems that can seem worlds apart: graph traversal, data compression, distributed computing, computational biology, and more. Encyclopedia of Algorithms offers a way into that breadth through focused entries that help readers identify a problem, understand its key results, and find further literature.

Edited by Ming-Yang Kao, this first-edition reference is organized alphabetically by algorithmic problem. Rather than relying on one long survey, it gathers concise mini-surveys written by expert researchers and grouped across a wide range of algorithmic areas.

A problem-first guide to algorithms

Each entry is intended to make a specific topic easier to approach. The preface describes entries as covering important problems through their names, definitions, key results, and references for further reading. That structure makes the encyclopedia useful when you have a particular question in mind and want a focused overview before turning to the research literature.

Across a wide landscape of computer science

The contents range across subjects including graph algorithms, approximation, data compression, computational biology, distributed algorithms, game theory, and online algorithms. This breadth offers readers a view of how algorithmic thinking connects problems from different areas, while the alphabetical arrangement keeps the emphasis on finding a topic directly.

Built for reference and further reading

The entries are designed as shorter, more readily updated alternatives to conventional long-form surveys. Their references point readers toward work behind the results, making the book a useful research and study companion for following a topic beyond its initial overview.

Who may find it useful

Researchers, students, and practitioners looking for concise introductions to algorithmic problems will find the reference format especially relevant. It can also help readers from neighboring disciplines locate algorithmic background and literature connected to their work.

For a targeted overview of an algorithmic problem—or a starting point for a deeper literature search—this encyclopedia keeps a broad technical field close at hand.