🧭 Feature Proposal: Pathfinding Visualizer (A*, Dijkstra, BFS) — GUI Mode

[Ash-Jose]

🪶 TL;DR

A GUI-based Pathfinding Visualizer built with C++ and SFML/Qt to visually demonstrate how algorithms like A*, Dijkstra, and BFS explore and find paths in real time. An interactive and educational addition to CodeScript’s visualization toolkit.

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📝 Description

I’d like to propose adding a Pathfinding Visualizer (GUI) feature to CodeScript — an interactive C++ module that demonstrates classic pathfinding algorithms like A*, Dijkstra, and Breadth-First Search (BFS) in a visually appealing, real-time environment.

This would be a great educational and interactive addition, allowing users to see how different algorithms explore nodes, find optimal paths, and compare performance.

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💡 Concept

The visualizer will display a 2D grid, where:

• Each cell represents an empty space, wall, start node, or target node.
• The user can place or remove walls, set start and end points.
• The algorithm runs step-by-step with animated exploration and final path highlighting.
• The UI updates in real time using SFML or Qt.

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🧩 Algorithms to Include

• Breadth-First Search (BFS) — for unweighted grids.
• Dijkstra’s Algorithm — for weighted grids.
• A* (A-Star) — using heuristics for efficient shortest path finding.

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🧰 Tech Stack

• Language: C++17 (or later)
• GUI Framework: SFML or Qt (PySide6 equivalent behavior in C++)
• Build System: CMake

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⚙️ Core Features

• Adjustable grid size (e.g., 20×20, 50×50)
• Interactive grid editing (add/remove walls, set start/end)
• Step-by-step or auto-play visualization
• Highlighted path output and stats (distance, visited nodes)
• Adjustable animation speed

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🎯 Expected Outcome

This feature will:

• Help users visualize how pathfinding algorithms work internally.
• Enhance CodeScript’s learning and visualization toolkit.
• Serve as a reusable C++ module for algorithm demonstrations.

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🕒 Estimated Development Time

2–3 days for the base GUI version (with BFS + A*).
Extra time can extend the animation or add weighted support for Dijkstra.

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🚀 Future Enhancements

• Diagonal movement options
• Custom node weights (for terrain simulation)
• Pause/Resume and Reset controls
• Algorithm comparison mode

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🙋‍♂️ Contributor Interest

I’d like to take up this feature and implement the GUI-based version first.
Would love input on:

• Framework preference (SFML vs Qt)
• UI style conventions or guidelines CodeScript follows.

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Proposed by: Ashlin Jose

[devmalik7]

@Ash-Jose Sure go ahead

[Ash-Jose]

thanks, i have also raised an issue in the game script repo
can you kindly go over that as well please