Is this good for educators?

Yes — this version of "Shortest Path for a friendship network" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.

Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Educators · Shortest Path

Shortest Path for a friendship network

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a friendship network live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Shortest Path (Dijkstra)Live

weighted graph search

Controls

Dijkstra's algorithm finds the shortest path from a source (A, blue) to every other node in a weighted graph, always expanding the closest unvisited node next. The number inside each node is its shortest distance from A; the green edges trace the optimal route to your chosen destination. It powers GPS routing, network protocols, and logistics. Click any node to re-target.

Size a graph for the exportable Python solver below — the diagram stays a fixed six-node example.

Presets

Nodes

Edge density

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

SourceA

DestinationF

Shortest distance11

Graph size6 nodes

Est. edges9 (60%)

Governing equation

d (v) = min (d (v), d (u) + w (u, v)), d (F) = 11

Reading this result: Dijkstra grows a set of finalized nodes, each step expanding the nearest unvisited one and relaxing its outgoing edges. Because all weights are non-negative, the first time a node is finalized its distance is already optimal. This configuration describes 6 nodes and about 9 weighted edges (density 60%).

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?: Yes — this version of "Shortest Path for a friendship network" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.