How properly implement search functionality?

[_-GORO-_]

Good Day to all Java Gurus!

Consider a tree data structure implemented by the following Java class:

public class Tree {
private List<Tree> leaves = new LinkedList<Tree>();
private Tree parent = null;
private String data;

public Tree(String data, Tree parent) {
this.data = data;
this.parent = parent;
}
}

I am trying to figure out how to implement search functionality using a method with the footprint: Tree firstMatch(Tree, Regex). This method takes a tree, searches that tree for leaves/branches in which the data matches the given regex expression and returns the first branch/leaf (another Tree object) that matches. I need to implement two different search algorithms: a Depth-First Search (DFS), and another search algorithm (anything better then DFS?).

Thank you for help

[Norm]

What have you tried?

[_-GORO-_]

Hi Norm, thank you for response,

I know JS, PHP, but total Noob to Java

[Norm]

Ok, Time to start learning.
Do you have the steps for algorithms you want to implement in java?

Can you list the steps needed to build the tree to be searched? Start with that. You'll need the tree for the searches.

Be sure to wrap all posted code in code tags.

[2kaud]

a Depth-First Search (DFS), and another search algorithm (anything better then DFS?

Another common search algorithm is Breadth-First-Search. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadth-first_search