arXiv · 2605.22149
A Coalgebraic Dijkstra Algorithm
Abstract
The Dijkstra algorithm is a classical method for solving the shortest path problem on weighted graphs. There are several variations of the Dijkstra algorithm, including algorithms for the widest path problem and for two-player games. In this paper, we introduce the coalgebraic shortest path problem (CSPP), a unifying framework for a broad class of optimization problems on state-transition systems. This framework encompasses not only the aforementioned problems but also new ones such as the shortest binary tree problem. We further present a coalgebraic Dijkstra algorithm for solving the CSPP efficiently under a suitable condition. Our condition is necessary and sufficient for the algorithm to return correct solutions, thereby providing a precise criterion for when Dijkstra-style acceleration is possible. We also show that the proposed algorithm achieves asymptotic complexity comparable to that of the classical Dijkstra algorithm.
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Takahiro Sanada, Yoàv Montacute, Kittiphon Phalakarn, Ichiro Hasuo. 2026-05-21. A Coalgebraic Dijkstra Algorithm. https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.22149
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