This task has been clarified. Its programming examples are in need of review to ensure that they still fit the requirements of the task.

Dijkstra's algorithm, conceived by Dutch computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra in 1956 and published in 1959, is a graph search algorithm that solves the single-source shortest path problem for a graph with non-negative edge path costs, producing a shortest path tree.

This algorithm is often used in routing and as a subroutine in other graph algorithms.



For a given source vertex (node) in the graph, the algorithm finds the path with lowest cost (i.e. the shortest path) between that vertex and every other vertex.



For instance

If the vertices of the graph represent cities and edge path costs represent driving distances between pairs of cities connected by a direct road,   Dijkstra's algorithm can be used to find the shortest route between one city and all other cities.

As a result, the shortest path first is widely used in network routing protocols, most notably:

   IS-IS   (Intermediate System to Intermediate System)   and 
   OSPF   (Open Shortest Path First).


Important note
 
The inputs to Dijkstra's algorithm are a directed and weighted graph consisting of 2 or more nodes, generally represented by:

   an adjacency matrix or list,   and
   a start node. 


A destination node is not specified.

The output is a set of edges depicting the shortest path to each destination node.



An example, starting with

                                         a──►b,  cost=7,   lastNode=a  
                                         a──►c,  cost=9,   lastNode=a 
                                         a──►d,  cost=NA,  lastNode=a
                                         a──►e,  cost=NA,  lastNode=a 
                                         a──►f,  cost=14,  lastNode=a
 
    The lowest cost is    a──►b    so    a──►b    is added to the output. 
 
    There is a connection from   b──►d   so the input is updated to: 
                                         a──►c,  cost=9,   lastNode=a 
                                         a──►d,  cost=22,  lastNode=b 
                                         a──►e,  cost=NA,  lastNode=a 
                                         a──►f,  cost=14,  lastNode=a
 
    The lowest cost is    a──►c    so    a──►c    is added to the output. 
 
    Paths to    d    and    f    are cheaper via    c    so the input is updated to:
                                         a──►d,  cost=20,  lastNode=c 
                                         a──►e,  cost=NA,  lastNode=a 
                                         a──►f,  cost=11,  lastNode=c
 
    The lowest cost is    a──►f    so    c──►f    is added to the output. 
 
    The input is updated to:
                                         a──►d,  cost=20,  lastNode=c 
                                         a──►e,  cost=NA,  lastNode=a
 
    The lowest cost is    a──►d    so    c──►d    is added to the output. 
 
    There is a connection from    d──►e    so the input is updated to:
                                         a──►e,  cost=26,  lastNode=d
 
    Which just leaves adding    d──►e    to the output.
 
    The output should now be:
                                       [ d──►e
                                         c──►d
                                         c──►f
                                         a──►c
                                         a──►b ]   


Task

 Implement a version of Dijkstra's algorithm that outputs a set of edges depicting the shortest path to each reachable node from an origin.
 Run your program with the following directed graph starting at node    a.
 Write a program which interprets the output from the above and use it to output the shortest path from node    a    to nodes    e    and  f. 

 Vertices


 Number 
 Name


 1 
 a


 2 
 b


 3 
 c


 4 
 d


 5 
 e


 6 
 f


 Edges


 Start 
 End 
 Cost


 a 
 b 
 7


 a 
 c 
 9


 a 
 f 
 14


 b 
 c 
 10


 b 
 d 
 15


 c 
 d 
 11


 c 
 f 
 2


 d 
 e 
 6


 e 
 f 
 9



You can use numbers or names to identify vertices in your program.



See also
 Dijkstra's Algorithm vs. A* Search vs. Concurrent Dijkstra's Algorithm (youtube)


-- Graph definition
local edges = {
    a = {b = 7, c = 9, f = 14},
    b = {c = 10, d = 15},
    c = {d = 11, f = 2},
    d = {e = 6},
    e = {f = 9}
}
 
-- Fill in paths in the opposite direction to the stated edges
function complete (graph)
    for node, edges in pairs(graph) do
        for edge, distance in pairs(edges) do
            if not graph[edge] then graph[edge] = {} end
            graph[edge][node] = distance
        end
    end
end
 
-- Create path string from table of previous nodes
function follow (trail, destination)
    local path, nextStep = destination, trail[destination]
    while nextStep do
        path = nextStep .. " " .. path 
        nextStep = trail[nextStep]
    end
    return path
end
 
-- Find the shortest path between the current and destination nodes
function dijkstra (graph, current, destination, directed)
    if not directed then complete(graph) end
    local unvisited, distanceTo, trail = {}, {}, {}
    local nearest, nextNode, tentative
    for node, edgeDists in pairs(graph) do
        if node == current then
            distanceTo[node] = 0
            trail[current] = false
        else
            distanceTo[node] = math.huge
            unvisited[node] = true
        end
    end
    repeat
        nearest = math.huge
        for neighbour, pathDist in pairs(graph[current]) do
            if unvisited[neighbour] then
                tentative = distanceTo[current] + pathDist
                if tentative < distanceTo[neighbour] then
                    distanceTo[neighbour] = tentative
                    trail[neighbour] = current
                end
                if tentative < nearest then
                    nearest = tentative
                    nextNode = neighbour
                end
            end
        end
        unvisited[current] = false
        current = nextNode
    until unvisited[destination] == false or nearest == math.huge
    return distanceTo[destination], follow(trail, destination)
end
 
-- Main procedure
print("Directed:", dijkstra(edges, "a", "e", true))
print("Undirected:", dijkstra(edges, "a", "e", false))