Essential terms and definitions for maze games, maze generation, and pathfinding algorithms. Whether you're a player, student, or developer — this is your reference guide.
A graph traversal algorithm that explores as far as possible along each branch before backtracking. Fundamental to maze generation and solving.
Read Definition →A level-by-level exploration algorithm that guarantees the shortest path in unweighted mazes. Think of it as a wave spreading outward from the start.
Read Definition →The gold standard of pathfinding. Combines actual distance with a heuristic estimate to find the optimal path faster than Dijkstra.
Read Definition →A classic shortest-path algorithm that explores outward uniformly from the start. Optimal for weighted graphs but slower than A* for single-target searches.
Read Definition →The most popular maze generation algorithm. Uses DFS to carve passages, creating mazes with long, winding corridors and few branches.
Read Definition →A minimum spanning tree algorithm adapted for maze generation. Produces mazes with shorter dead ends, more branching, and a natural-looking structure.
Read Definition →How maze difficulty is measured — from branching factor and solution length to dead-end density and the number of decision points.
Read Definition →A passage that terminates with no exit except the way you came in. The ratio of dead ends to junctions defines much of a maze's character.
Read Definition →This maze glossary covers the most important maze algorithm terms and pathfinding definitions used in maze games, computer science classes, and game development. Each term includes a plain-language definition, step-by-step explanation, and links to interactive demonstrations on HTML Maze.
Understanding concepts like depth-first search, breadth-first search, and the A* algorithm helps you appreciate how mazes are generated and solved — both on paper and in code. Explore each term to deepen your understanding of maze algorithms and improve your maze-solving strategy.