Unlocking Sudoku Solutions with Golang: A Beginner's Guide
Written on
Introduction to Sudoku
Sudoku is an intriguing puzzle that involves filling a 9x9 grid with digits ranging from 1 to 9. This guide demonstrates how to implement a Sudoku solver using the backtracking algorithm in the Go programming language.
Game Rules
To successfully complete a Sudoku puzzle, the following rules must be adhered to:
- Each row must contain every number from 1 to 9.
- Each column must include all numbers from 1 to 9.
- Each of the nine 3x3 sub-grids, also known as "blocks," must feature all digits from 1 to 9.
Find Next Empty Cell
The first step in our solution involves locating the next unoccupied cell on the grid. This can be easily accomplished by iterating through the board and checking for empty spaces.
Validate Sudoku Rules
Next, we need to verify if the number placed in the current cell complies with the Sudoku rules outlined previously.
Solving the Puzzle
At this stage, we tackle the core challenge of the Sudoku solver. This process employs backtracking to find a solution.
- Identify the next empty cell that needs to be filled.
- Attempt to place each digit from 1 to 9 in that cell. If a number meets the validation criteria, it will be entered into the cell, and we will then recursively call the function to proceed with the next empty cell. If the number doesn't fit, we will move on to try the next digit.
- If we successfully fill the board, we return true. Conversely, if we cannot fill the board despite trying every possibility, we return false. The backtracking function continues recursively until the grid is either completed or declared unsolvable.
Testing the Algorithm
To validate our implementation, we will utilize the following sample board and display the grid after completing the Sudoku.
The completed solution appears as follows:
{'6', '8', '3', '1', '7', '2', '5', '4', '9'},
{'2', '1', '7', '5', '9', '4', '6', '8', '3'},
{'4', '5', '9', '3', '8', '6', '1', '2', '7'},
{'8', '7', '1', '9', '2', '3', '4', '6', '5'},
{'5', '6', '4', '7', '1', '8', '3', '9', '2'},
{'9', '3', '2', '6', '4', '5', '7', '1', '8'},
{'3', '2', '6', '4', '5', '9', '8', '7', '1'},
{'7', '9', '5', '8', '6', '1', '2', '3', '4'},
{'1', '4', '8', '2', '3', '7', '9', '5', '6'},
Thank you for taking the time to explore this guide! I hope you found it helpful and engaging.
Level Up Coding
Thank you for being part of our community! Before you leave, consider showing your appreciation for this content and following the author. For more insightful articles, connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or subscribe to our newsletter.
Join the Level Up talent collective and discover exciting job opportunities!
Chapter 2: Video Tutorials
In this chapter, we will explore some useful video resources that can enhance your understanding of Sudoku solving techniques.
Sudoku Solver in 5 Minutes - Go Lang - 5minsofcode.com - YouTube
This quick tutorial showcases how to build a Sudoku solver using Golang in just five minutes. Perfect for those in a hurry!
Coding a Sudoku Solver in Python Using Recursion/Backtracking - YouTube
For those interested in different programming paradigms, this video demonstrates how to implement a Sudoku solver in Python using recursion and backtracking techniques.