Data Structure - Binary Search
Tree
Bhabani Shankar Pradhan
A Binary Search Tree (BST) is a tree in which all the nodes follow the below-
mentioned properties −
The left sub-tree of a node has a key less than or equal to its parent
node's key.
The right sub-tree of a node has a key greater than or equal to its parent
node's key.
Thus, BST divides all its sub-trees into two segments; the left sub-tree and the
right sub-tree and can be defined as −
left_subtree (keys) ≤ node (key) ≤ right_subtree (keys)
Representation
BST is a collection of nodes arranged in a way where they maintain BST
properties. Each node has a key and an associated value. While searching, the
desired key is compared to the keys in BST and if found, the associated value
is retrieved.
Following is a pictorial representation of BST −
We observe that the root node key (27) has all less-valued keys on the left sub-
tree and the higher valued keys on the right sub-tree.
Basic Operations
Following are the basic operations of a tree −
Search − Searches an element in a tree.
Insert − Inserts an element in a tree.
Pre-order Traversal − Traverses a tree in a pre-order manner.
In-order Traversal − Traverses a tree in an in-order manner.
Post-order Traversal − Traverses a tree in a post-order manner.
Defining a Node
Define a node that stores some data, and references to its left and right child
nodes.
struct node {
int data;
struct node *leftChild;
struct node *rightChild;
};
Search Operation
Whenever an element is to be searched, start searching from the root node.
Then if the data is less than the key value, search for the element in the left
subtree. Otherwise, search for the element in the right subtree. Follow the
same algorithm for each node.
Algorithm
1. START
2. Check whether the tree is empty or not
3. If the tree is empty, search is not possible
4. Otherwise, first search the root of the tree.
5. If the key does not match with the value in the root, search its subtrees.
6. If the value of the key is less than the root value, search the left subtree
7. If the value of the key is greater than the root value, search the right subtree.
8. If the key is not found in the tree, return unsuccessful search.
9. END
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int data;
struct node *leftChild, *rightChild;
};
struct node *root = NULL;
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->data = item;
temp->leftChild = temp->rightChild = NULL;
return temp;
void insert(int data){
struct node *tempNode = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
struct node *current;
struct node *parent;
tempNode->data = data;
tempNode->leftChild = NULL;
tempNode->rightChild = NULL;
//if tree is empty
if(root == NULL) {
root = tempNode;
} else {
current = root;
parent = NULL;
while(1) {
parent = current;
//go to left of the tree
if(data < parent->data) {
current = current->leftChild;
//insert to the left
if(current == NULL) {
parent->leftChild = tempNode;
return;
}//go to right of the tree
else {
current = current->rightChild;
//insert to the right
if(current == NULL) {
parent->rightChild = tempNode;
return;
}
struct node* search(int data){
struct node *current = root;
printf("\nVisiting elements: ");
while(current->data != data) {
if(current != NULL) {
printf("%d ",current->data);
//go to left tree
if(current->data > data) {
current = current->leftChild;
}//else go to right tree
else {
current = current->rightChild;
}
//not found
if(current == NULL) {
return NULL;
return current;
void printTree(struct node* Node){
if(Node == NULL)
return;
printTree(Node->leftChild);
printf(" --%d", Node->data);
printTree(Node->rightChild);
int main(){
insert(55);
insert(20);
insert(90);
insert(50);
insert(35);
insert(15);
insert(65);
printf("Insertion done\n");
printTree(root);
struct node* k;
k = search(35);
if(k != NULL)
printf("\nElement %d found", k->data);
else
printf("\nElement not found");
return 0;
Output
Insertion done
--15 --20 --35 --50 --55 --65 --90
Visiting elements: 55 20 50
Element 35 found
Insert Operation
Whenever an element is to be inserted, first locate its proper location. Start
searching from the root node, then if the data is less than the key value,
search for the empty location in the left subtree and insert the data. Otherwise,
search for the empty location in the right subtree and insert the data.
Algorithm
1 – START
2 – If the tree is empty, insert the first element as the root node of the tree. The
following elements are added as the leaf nodes.
3 – If an element is less than the root value, it is added into the left subtree as
a leaf node.
4 – If an element is greater than the root value, it is added into the right subtree
as a leaf node.
5 – The final leaf nodes of the tree point to NULL values as their child nodes.
6 – END
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int data;
struct node *leftChild, *rightChild;
};
struct node *root = NULL;
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->data = item;
temp->leftChild = temp->rightChild = NULL;
return temp;
void insert(int data){
struct node *tempNode = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
struct node *current;
struct node *parent;
tempNode->data = data;
tempNode->leftChild = NULL;
tempNode->rightChild = NULL;
//if tree is empty
if(root == NULL) {
root = tempNode;
} else {
current = root;
parent = NULL;
while(1) {
parent = current;
//go to left of the tree
if(data < parent->data) {
current = current->leftChild;
//insert to the left
if(current == NULL) {
parent->leftChild = tempNode;
return;
}//go to right of the tree
else {
current = current->rightChild;
//insert to the right
if(current == NULL) {
parent->rightChild = tempNode;
return;
void printTree(struct node* Node){
if(Node == NULL)
return;
printTree(Node->leftChild);
printf(" --%d", Node->data);
printTree(Node->rightChild);
int main(){
insert(55);
insert(20);
insert(90);
insert(50);
insert(35);
insert(15);
insert(65);
printf("Insertion done\n");
printTree(root);
return 0;
Output
Insertion done
--15 --20 --35 --50 --55 --65 --90
Inorder Traversal
The inorder traversal operation in a Binary Search Tree visits all its nodes in
the following order −
Firstly, we traverse the left child of the root node/current node, if any.
Next, traverse the current node.
Lastly, traverse the right child of the current node, if any.
Algorithm
1. START
2. Traverse the left subtree, recursively
3. Then, traverse the root node
4. Traverse the right subtree, recursively.
5. END
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
CC++JavaPython
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int key;
struct node *left, *right;
};
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->key = item;
temp->left = temp->right = NULL;
return temp;
// Inorder Traversal
void inorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
inorder(root->left);
printf("%d -> ", root->key);
inorder(root->right);
// Insertion operation
struct node *insert(struct node *node, int key){
if (node == NULL) return newNode(key);
if (key < node->key)
node->left = insert(node->left, key);
else
node->right = insert(node->right, key);
return node;
int main(){
struct node *root = NULL;
root = insert(root, 55);
root = insert(root, 20);
root = insert(root, 90);
root = insert(root, 50);
root = insert(root, 35);
root = insert(root, 15);
root = insert(root, 65);
printf("Inorder traversal: ");
inorder(root);
Output
Inorder traversal: 15 -> 20 -> 35 -> 50 -> 55 -> 65 -> 90 ->
Preorder Traversal
The preorder traversal operation in a Binary Search Tree visits all its nodes.
However, the root node in it is first printed, followed by its left subtree and
then its right subtree.
Algorithm
1. START
2. Traverse the root node first.
3. Then traverse the left subtree, recursively
4. Later, traverse the right subtree, recursively.
5. END
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int key;
struct node *left, *right;
};
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->key = item;
temp->left = temp->right = NULL;
return temp;
// Preorder Traversal
void preorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
printf("%d -> ", root->key);
preorder(root->left);
preorder(root->right);
// Insertion operation
struct node *insert(struct node *node, int key){
if (node == NULL) return newNode(key);
if (key < node->key)
node->left = insert(node->left, key);
else
node->right = insert(node->right, key);
return node;
int main(){
struct node *root = NULL;
root = insert(root, 55);
root = insert(root, 20);
root = insert(root, 90);
root = insert(root, 50);
root = insert(root, 35);
root = insert(root, 15);
root = insert(root, 65);
printf("Preorder traversal: ");
preorder(root);
Output
Preorder traversal: 55 -> 20 -> 15 -> 50 -> 35 -> 90 -> 65 ->
Postorder Traversal
Like the other traversals, postorder traversal also visits all the nodes in a
Binary Search Tree and displays them. However, the left subtree is printed
first, followed by the right subtree and lastly, the root node.
Algorithm
1. START
2. Traverse the left subtree, recursively
3. Traverse the right subtree, recursively.
4. Then, traverse the root node
5. END
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int key;
struct node *left, *right;
};
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->key = item;
temp->left = temp->right = NULL;
return temp;
// Postorder Traversal
void postorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
printf("%d -> ", root->key);
postorder(root->left);
postorder(root->right);
// Insertion operation
struct node *insert(struct node *node, int key){
if (node == NULL) return newNode(key);
if (key < node->key)
node->left = insert(node->left, key);
else
node->right = insert(node->right, key);
return node;
int main(){
struct node *root = NULL;
root = insert(root, 55);
root = insert(root, 20);
root = insert(root, 90);
root = insert(root, 50);
root = insert(root, 35);
root = insert(root, 15);
root = insert(root, 65);
printf("Postorder traversal: ");
postorder(root);
Output
Postorder traversal: 55 -> 20 -> 15 -> 50 -> 35 -> 90 -> 65 ->
Example
Following are the implementations of this operation in various programming
languages −
CC++JavaPython
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
struct node {
int data;
struct node *leftChild, *rightChild;
};
struct node *root = NULL;
struct node *newNode(int item){
struct node *temp = (struct node *)malloc(sizeof(struct node));
temp->data = item;
temp->leftChild = temp->rightChild = NULL;
return temp;
void insert(int data){
struct node *tempNode = (struct node*) malloc(sizeof(struct node));
struct node *current;
struct node *parent;
tempNode->data = data;
tempNode->leftChild = NULL;
tempNode->rightChild = NULL;
//if tree is empty
if(root == NULL) {
root = tempNode;
} else {
current = root;
parent = NULL;
while(1) {
parent = current;
//go to left of the tree
if(data < parent->data) {
current = current->leftChild;
//insert to the left
if(current == NULL) {
parent->leftChild = tempNode;
return;
}
}//go to right of the tree
else {
current = current->rightChild;
//insert to the right
if(current == NULL) {
parent->rightChild = tempNode;
return;
struct node* search(int data){
struct node *current = root;
printf("\n\nVisiting elements: ");
while(current->data != data) {
if(current != NULL) {
printf("%d ",current->data);
//go to left tree
if(current->data > data) {
current = current->leftChild;
}//else go to right tree
else {
current = current->rightChild;
//not found
if(current == NULL) {
return NULL;
return current;
}
// Inorder Traversal
void inorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
inorder(root->leftChild);
printf("%d -> ", root->data);
inorder(root->rightChild);
// Preorder Traversal
void preorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
printf("%d -> ", root->data);
preorder(root->leftChild);
preorder(root->rightChild);
// Postorder Traversal
void postorder(struct node *root){
if (root != NULL) {
printf("%d -> ", root->data);
postorder(root->leftChild);
postorder(root->rightChild);
int main(){
insert(55);
insert(20);
insert(90);
insert(50);
insert(35);
insert(15);
insert(65);
printf("Insertion done\n");
printf("\nPreorder Traversal: ");
preorder(root);
printf("\nInorder Traversal: ");
inorder(root);
printf("\nPostorder Traversal: ");
postorder(root);
struct node* k;
k = search(35);
if(k != NULL)
printf("\nElement %d found", k->data);
else
printf("\nElement not found");
return 0;
Output
Insertion done
Preorder Traversal: 55 -> 20 -> 15 -> 50 -> 35 -> 90 -> 65 ->
Inorder Traversal: 15 -> 20 -> 35 -> 50 -> 55 -> 65 -> 90 ->
Postorder Traversal: 55 -> 20 -> 15 -> 50 -> 35 -> 90 -> 65 ->
Visiting elements: 55 20 50
Element 35 found
