A* Path Finding Algorithm Project

This project implements the A* pathfinding algorithm using Python and Pygame. The A* algorithm is widely used for pathfinding and graph traversal, which is the process of finding the most efficient path between multiple points, called nodes.

Features

• Visual Grid: A grid layout that allows users to visualize the algorithm in action.
• Interactive Nodes: Users can interact with the grid to set start and end points, and create barriers.
• Color-coded Nodes: Each node type (start, end, barrier, path, etc.) has a unique color for easy identification.
• Real-time Pathfinding: Watch the algorithm find the shortest path in real-time.

Requirements

• Python
• Pygame library

Installation

1. Ensure Python is installed on your system.
2. Install Pygame: pip install pygame
3. Download the project files to your local machine.

Usage

Run the script using Python:

python main.py

Controls

• Left Mouse Click: Set start node, end node, or draw barriers.
• Right Mouse Click: Remove nodes or barriers.
• Space Bar: Start the algorithm.
• C Key: Clear the grid and reset.

Code Explanation

• Node class: Represents each node in the grid.
• make_grid: Creates a grid of Node objects.
• draw_grid: Draws grid lines on the window.
• draw: Handles drawing the grid and nodes.
• get_clicked_pos: Translates a mouse position to grid coordinates.
• main: Main loop for running the application.

Algorithm Function

• algorithm: Contains the implementation of the A* algorithm.
• heuristic_function: Calculates the Manhattan distance, used as the heuristic in A*.
• reconstruct_path: Reconstructs the path from the end node to the start node.