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What does "binary search tree" mean in programming?

binary search tree is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

A binary tree where each node's left subtree contains only values smaller than the node and the right subtree contains only larger values. This property enables O(log n) search, insert, and delete in a balanced tree.

Example

"Insert 5, 3, 7 into a BST: 3 goes left of 5, 7 goes right — searching for 7 takes two steps."

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