Introduction to Algorithm Animation

Abstract

An algorithm animation allows visualizing the behavior of an algorithm. Although algorithm animations have mostly been used in computer science, potential applications in other scientific domains, such as mathematics and economics, abound. An algorithm animation creates an abstraction of both the data and the operations of the algorithm First it maps the data (the current state of the algorithm, i.e., the current values of the variables used in the algorithm) into an image, which then gets animated based on the operations between two succeeding states in the execution of the algorithm. Animating an algorithm allows for better understanding of the inner workings of the algorithm; furthermore it makes apparent its shortcomings and advantages, thus allowing for further optimization.