Path Compression in Union-Find Algorithm

Path Compression optimizes the find() operation in the union-find algorithm. It flattens the tree structure by making nodes directly point to the root. This reduces the time for future find operations by eliminating intermediate nodes. Combined with union by rank, path compression helps achieve nearly constant time complexity. The final amortized time complexity is O(α(n)), where α(n) is the inverse Ackermann function, growing very slowly.

For more details, visit the GeeksforGeeks article: Union By Rank and Path Compression in Union-Find Algorithm.