module Gem::TSort

Gem::TSort implements topological sorting using Tarjan’s algorithm for strongly connected components.

Gem::TSort is designed to be able to be used with any object which can be interpreted as a directed graph.

Gem::TSort requires two methods to interpret an object as a graph, tsort_each_node and tsort_each_child.

The equality of nodes are defined by eql? and hash since Gem::TSort uses Hash internally.

A Simple Example ↑

The following example demonstrates how to mix the Gem::TSort module into an existing class (in this case, Hash). Here, we’re treating each key in the hash as a node in the graph, and so we simply alias the required tsort_each_node method to Hash’s each_key method. For each key in the hash, the associated value is an array of the node’s child nodes. This choice in turn leads to our implementation of the required tsort_each_child method, which fetches the array of child nodes and then iterates over that array using the user-supplied block.

require 'rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort'

class Hash
  include Gem::TSort
  alias tsort_each_node each_key
  def tsort_each_child(node, &block)
    fetch(node).each(&block)
  end
end

{1=>[2, 3], 2=>[3], 3=>[], 4=>[]}.tsort
#=> [3, 2, 1, 4]

{1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]}.strongly_connected_components
#=> [[4], [2, 3], [1]]

A More Realistic Example ↑

A very simple ‘make’ like tool can be implemented as follows:

require 'rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort'

class Make
  def initialize
    @dep = {}
    @dep.default = []
  end

  def rule(outputs, inputs=[], &block)
    triple = [outputs, inputs, block]
    outputs.each {|f| @dep[f] = [triple]}
    @dep[triple] = inputs
  end

  def build(target)
    each_strongly_connected_component_from(target) {|ns|
      if ns.length != 1
        fs = ns.delete_if {|n| Array === n}
        raise Gem::TSort::Cyclic.new("cyclic dependencies: #{fs.join ', '}")
      end
      n = ns.first
      if Array === n
        outputs, inputs, block = n
        inputs_time = inputs.map {|f| File.mtime f}.max
        begin
          outputs_time = outputs.map {|f| File.mtime f}.min
        rescue Errno::ENOENT
          outputs_time = nil
        end
        if outputs_time == nil ||
           inputs_time != nil && outputs_time <= inputs_time
          sleep 1 if inputs_time != nil && inputs_time.to_i == Time.now.to_i
          block.call
        end
      end
    }
  end

  def tsort_each_child(node, &block)
    @dep[node].each(&block)
  end
  include Gem::TSort
end

def command(arg)
  print arg, "\n"
  system arg
end

m = Make.new
m.rule(%w[t1]) { command 'date > t1' }
m.rule(%w[t2]) { command 'date > t2' }
m.rule(%w[t3]) { command 'date > t3' }
m.rule(%w[t4], %w[t1 t3]) { command 'cat t1 t3 > t4' }
m.rule(%w[t5], %w[t4 t2]) { command 'cat t4 t2 > t5' }
m.build('t5')

Bugs ↑

  • ‘tsort.rb’ is wrong name because this library uses Tarjan’s algorithm for strongly connected components. Although ‘strongly_connected_components.rb’ is correct but too long.

References ↑

    1. Tarjan, “Depth First Search and Linear Graph Algorithms”,

SIAM Journal on Computing, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 146-160, June 1972.

Public Class Methods

each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child) { |nodes| ... } click to toggle source

The iterator version of the Gem::TSort.strongly_connected_components method.

The graph is represented by each_node and each_child. each_node should have call method which yields for each node in the graph. each_child should have call method which takes a node argument and yields for each child node.

g = {1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child) {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2]
#   [3]
#   [1]

g = {1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child) {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2, 3]
#   [1]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 342
def self.each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child) # :yields: nodes
  return to_enum(__method__, each_node, each_child) unless block_given?

  id_map = {}
  stack = []
  each_node.call {|node|
    unless id_map.include? node
      each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, each_child, id_map, stack) {|c|
        yield c
      }
    end
  }
  nil
end
each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, each_child, id_map={}, stack=[]) { |nodes| ... } click to toggle source

Iterates over strongly connected components in a graph. The graph is represented by node and each_child.

node is the first node. each_child should have call method which takes a node argument and yields for each child node.

Return value is unspecified.

Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component_from is a class method and it doesn’t need a class to represent a graph which includes Gem::TSort.

graph = {1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]}
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| graph[n].each(&b) }
Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component_from(1, each_child) {|scc|
  p scc
}
#=> [4]
#   [2, 3]
#   [1]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 408
def self.each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, each_child, id_map={}, stack=[]) # :yields: nodes
  return to_enum(__method__, node, each_child, id_map, stack) unless block_given?

  minimum_id = node_id = id_map[node] = id_map.size
  stack_length = stack.length
  stack << node

  each_child.call(node) {|child|
    if id_map.include? child
      child_id = id_map[child]
      minimum_id = child_id if child_id && child_id < minimum_id
    else
      sub_minimum_id =
        each_strongly_connected_component_from(child, each_child, id_map, stack) {|c|
          yield c
        }
      minimum_id = sub_minimum_id if sub_minimum_id < minimum_id
    end
  }

  if node_id == minimum_id
    component = stack.slice!(stack_length .. -1)
    component.each {|n| id_map[n] = nil}
    yield component
  end

  minimum_id
end
strongly_connected_components(each_node, each_child) click to toggle source

Returns strongly connected components as an array of arrays of nodes. The array is sorted from children to parents. Each elements of the array represents a strongly connected component.

The graph is represented by each_node and each_child. each_node should have call method which yields for each node in the graph. each_child should have call method which takes a node argument and yields for each child node.

g = {1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
p Gem::TSort.strongly_connected_components(each_node, each_child)
#=> [[4], [2], [3], [1]]

g = {1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
p Gem::TSort.strongly_connected_components(each_node, each_child)
#=> [[4], [2, 3], [1]]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 280
def self.strongly_connected_components(each_node, each_child)
  each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child).to_a
end
tsort(each_node, each_child) click to toggle source

Returns a topologically sorted array of nodes. The array is sorted from children to parents, i.e. the first element has no child and the last node has no parent.

The graph is represented by each_node and each_child. each_node should have call method which yields for each node in the graph. each_child should have call method which takes a node argument and yields for each child node.

If there is a cycle, Gem::TSort::Cyclic is raised.

g = {1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
p Gem::TSort.tsort(each_node, each_child) #=> [4, 2, 3, 1]

g = {1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
p Gem::TSort.tsort(each_node, each_child) # raises Gem::TSort::Cyclic

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 175
def self.tsort(each_node, each_child)
  tsort_each(each_node, each_child).to_a
end
tsort_each(each_node, each_child) { |node| ... } click to toggle source

The iterator version of the Gem::TSort.tsort method.

The graph is represented by each_node and each_child. each_node should have call method which yields for each node in the graph. each_child should have call method which takes a node argument and yields for each child node.

g = {1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]}
each_node = lambda {|&b| g.each_key(&b) }
each_child = lambda {|n, &b| g[n].each(&b) }
Gem::TSort.tsort_each(each_node, each_child) {|n| p n }
#=> 4
#   2
#   3
#   1

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 223
def self.tsort_each(each_node, each_child) # :yields: node
  return to_enum(__method__, each_node, each_child) unless block_given?

  each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child) {|component|
    if component.size == 1
      yield component.first
    else
      raise Cyclic.new("topological sort failed: #{component.inspect}")
    end
  }
end

Public Instance Methods

each_strongly_connected_component() { |nodes| ... } click to toggle source

The iterator version of the strongly_connected_components method. obj.each_strongly_connected_component is similar to obj.strongly_connected_components.each, but modification of obj during the iteration may lead to unexpected results.

each_strongly_connected_component returns nil.

class G
  include Gem::TSort
  def initialize(g)
    @g = g
  end
  def tsort_each_child(n, &b) @g[n].each(&b) end
  def tsort_each_node(&b) @g.each_key(&b) end
end

graph = G.new({1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]})
graph.each_strongly_connected_component {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2]
#   [3]
#   [1]

graph = G.new({1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]})
graph.each_strongly_connected_component {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2, 3]
#   [1]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 313
def each_strongly_connected_component(&block) # :yields: nodes
  each_node = method(:tsort_each_node)
  each_child = method(:tsort_each_child)
  Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component(each_node, each_child, &block)
end
each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, id_map={}, stack=[]) { |nodes| ... } click to toggle source

Iterates over strongly connected component in the subgraph reachable from node.

Return value is unspecified.

each_strongly_connected_component_from doesn’t call tsort_each_node.

class G
  include Gem::TSort
  def initialize(g)
    @g = g
  end
  def tsort_each_child(n, &b) @g[n].each(&b) end
  def tsort_each_node(&b) @g.each_key(&b) end
end

graph = G.new({1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]})
graph.each_strongly_connected_component_from(2) {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2]

graph = G.new({1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]})
graph.each_strongly_connected_component_from(2) {|scc| p scc }
#=> [4]
#   [2, 3]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 383
def each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, id_map={}, stack=[], &block) # :yields: nodes
  Gem::TSort.each_strongly_connected_component_from(node, method(:tsort_each_child), id_map, stack, &block)
end
strongly_connected_components() click to toggle source

Returns strongly connected components as an array of arrays of nodes. The array is sorted from children to parents. Each elements of the array represents a strongly connected component.

class G
  include Gem::TSort
  def initialize(g)
    @g = g
  end
  def tsort_each_child(n, &b) @g[n].each(&b) end
  def tsort_each_node(&b) @g.each_key(&b) end
end

graph = G.new({1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]})
p graph.strongly_connected_components #=> [[4], [2], [3], [1]]

graph = G.new({1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]})
p graph.strongly_connected_components #=> [[4], [2, 3], [1]]

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 254
def strongly_connected_components
  each_node = method(:tsort_each_node)
  each_child = method(:tsort_each_child)
  Gem::TSort.strongly_connected_components(each_node, each_child)
end
tsort() click to toggle source

Returns a topologically sorted array of nodes. The array is sorted from children to parents, i.e. the first element has no child and the last node has no parent.

If there is a cycle, Gem::TSort::Cyclic is raised.

class G
  include Gem::TSort
  def initialize(g)
    @g = g
  end
  def tsort_each_child(n, &b) @g[n].each(&b) end
  def tsort_each_node(&b) @g.each_key(&b) end
end

graph = G.new({1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]})
p graph.tsort #=> [4, 2, 3, 1]

graph = G.new({1=>[2], 2=>[3, 4], 3=>[2], 4=>[]})
p graph.tsort # raises Gem::TSort::Cyclic

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 149
def tsort
  each_node = method(:tsort_each_node)
  each_child = method(:tsort_each_child)
  Gem::TSort.tsort(each_node, each_child)
end
tsort_each() { |node| ... } click to toggle source

The iterator version of the tsort method. obj.tsort_each is similar to obj.tsort.each, but modification of obj during the iteration may lead to unexpected results.

tsort_each returns nil. If there is a cycle, Gem::TSort::Cyclic is raised.

class G
  include Gem::TSort
  def initialize(g)
    @g = g
  end
  def tsort_each_child(n, &b) @g[n].each(&b) end
  def tsort_each_node(&b) @g.each_key(&b) end
end

graph = G.new({1=>[2, 3], 2=>[4], 3=>[2, 4], 4=>[]})
graph.tsort_each {|n| p n }
#=> 4
#   2
#   3
#   1

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 202
def tsort_each(&block) # :yields: node
  each_node = method(:tsort_each_node)
  each_child = method(:tsort_each_child)
  Gem::TSort.tsort_each(each_node, each_child, &block)
end
tsort_each_child(node) { |child| ... } click to toggle source

Should be implemented by a extended class.

tsort_each_child is used to iterate for child nodes of node.

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 449
def tsort_each_child(node) # :yields: child
  raise NotImplementedError.new
end
tsort_each_node() { |node| ... } click to toggle source

Should be implemented by a extended class.

tsort_each_node is used to iterate for all nodes over a graph.

# File rubygems/tsort/lib/tsort.rb, line 441
def tsort_each_node # :yields: node
  raise NotImplementedError.new
end