Threaded Binary Trees in Data Structure

Data Structure Analysis of Algorithms Algorithms

Here we will see the threaded binary tree data structure. We know that the binary tree nodes may have at most two children. But if they have only one children, or no children, the link part in the linked list representation remains null. Using threaded binary tree representation, we can reuse that empty links by making some threads.

If one node has some vacant left or right child area, that will be used as thread. There are two types of threaded binary tree. The single threaded tree or fully threaded binary tree. In single threaded mode, there are another two variations. Left threaded and right threaded.

In the left threaded mode if some node has no left child, then the left pointer will point to its inorder predecessor, similarly in the right threaded mode if some node has no right child, then the right pointer will point to its inorder successor. In both cases, if no successor or predecessor is present, then it will point to header node.

For fully threaded binary tree, each node has five fields. Three fields like normal binary tree node, another two fields to store Boolean value to denote whether link of that side is actual link or thread.

Left Thread Flag

Left Link

Data

Right Link

Right Thread Flag