An interactive Python desktop app for learning algorithms and data structures. Choose a topic, enter your values, and follow the visualization one step at a time.
The interface has two main sections: Algorithms and Data Structures.
The GIF shows Bubble sort running to completion, then switches to Data Structures to build a stack and pop its top value.
Requires Python 3.10 or later. On Windows, use a standard installation from python.org.
python -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install -r requirements.txt
.\run.cmdIf the project environment is already installed, just run:
.\run.cmdYou can also double-click run.cmd, or launch directly:
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe main.pypython3 -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
.venv/bin/python main.pyThe application uses pygame-ce, which provides the pygame module. Install it using requirements.txt in a virtual environment.
Custom input, comparison and write counters, highlighted values, and playback controls.
The same controls work with lists, stacks, queues, trees, heaps, and hash tables.
| Main section | Topics |
|---|---|
| Algorithms — sorting | Bubble, insertion, selection, merge, quick, heap, and shell sort |
| Algorithms — searching | Linear and binary search |
| Algorithms — graphs | Breadth-first search, depth-first search, Dijkstra, Prim, and Kruskal |
| Algorithms — compression | Huffman coding |
| Data Structures | Singly linked list, doubly linked list, stack, queue, binary search tree, AVL tree, min heap, max heap, and hash table |
There are 24 visualizations in total. Algorithm groups appear inside the topic dropdown; the main navigation stays at two tabs.
- Choose Algorithms or Data Structures.
- Pick a topic from the dropdown.
- Edit the input values and select Apply. Use Shuffle for another sample.
- Select Start, then pause, move backward or forward, or drag the timeline to inspect a step.
Sorting supports ascending and descending order. Speed ranges from 1× to 10×. After a stack or queue is built, use Pop or Dequeue to remove a value. Backward playback lets you revisit earlier states.
The app detects the monitor size when it opens. Resizing redraws the interface at the window's actual resolution: controls wrap, content scrolls, and playback stays at the bottom. Wide visualizations have a horizontal scrollbar. Sorting and searching follow active values automatically.
- Enter 1–24 integers, separated by commas or spaces, from -9999 to 9999.
- Huffman coding requires positive integers and treats them as symbol frequencies.
- Binary search sorts the input first and reports an index in that sorted array.
- Graph algorithms use a fixed, weighted, undirected sample graph with source A.
- Array indexes start at 0. A swap counts as two array writes.
- Complexity descriptions refer to the underlying algorithms; the app also stores snapshots for backward playback.
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play / pause |
| Left / right arrow | Previous / next step |
| R | Reset playback |
| Tab | Focus the input field and scroll it into view |
| Enter | Apply input changes |
| Escape | Leave the input field or close the dropdown |
| Ctrl+A / Ctrl+V | Select all / paste in a focused input field |
| F11 | Toggle fullscreen and restore the previous window size |
| Mouse wheel / Page Up / Page Down | Scroll the content |
| Home / End | Scroll to the beginning / end |
| Shift + mouse wheel | Pan a wide visualization horizontally |
| Drag the timeline | Jump to another step |
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pygame'
Use the project's Python environment:
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install -r requirements.txt
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe main.pypip is not recognized
Run pip through Python. The -r option tells pip to read a requirements file:
python -m pip install -r requirements.txtIf you see No module named pip, install a standard Python distribution and recreate the virtual environment using that interpreter.
Run the algorithm and headless interface tests:
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m unittest discover -s tests -vRender a screenshot without opening a window:
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe main.py --size 1280x800 --screenshot preview.pngRecreate the README screenshots and GIF with the optional Pillow dependency:
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe -m pip install Pillow
.\.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/capture_readme.pyThe capture script renders the actual application and its algorithm traces. Generated README media is stored in docs/images/.
main.py Application entry point
run.cmd Windows launcher
requirements.txt Application dependency
studio/algorithms.py Algorithm traces and explanations
studio/app.py Window, input, and playback behavior
studio/view.py Responsive interface and topic selection
scripts/capture_readme.py README screenshots and GIF generation
tests/ Algorithm and interface tests
docs/images/ README media
The original standalone sorting demos are preserved in Data structure and algorithm/. Use main.py for the unified application.