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What does "red-black tree" mean in programming?
red-black 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 self-balancing binary search tree where each node carries an extra bit (red or black) used to enforce balance rules. Guarantees O(log n) worst-case for search, insert, and delete. Used internally by Java's TreeMap and C++'s std::map.
Example
"Java's TreeMap uses a red-black tree to keep keys sorted with O(log n) operations."
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