Brute-Force Search

Brute-force search, also called exhaustive search or generate and test, is a very general problem-solving technique and algorithmic paradigm that consists of systematically checking all possible candidates for whether or not each candidate satisfies the problem statement. A brute-force algorithm that finds the divisors of a natural number n would enumerate all integers from 1 to n and check whether each of them divides n without remainder, and a brute-force approach to the eight queens puzzle would examine all possible arrangements of eight pieces on the 64-square chessboard and check for each whether any queen can attack another. It is simple to implement and will always find a solution if one exists, while the implementation cost is proportional to the number of candidate solutions. Algorithms recorded in this atlas are grouped here when their design technique is brute force.