Data Modelling & AI Data Structure & Algorithm

Print Strings In Reverse Dictionary Order Using Trie

23 June 2025

15

Trie is an efficient information retrieval data structure. Using Trie, search complexities can be brought to an optimal limit.
Given an array of strings. The task is to print all strings in reverse dictionary order using Trie. If there are duplicates in the input array, we need to print them only once.

Examples:

Input: str = {"cat", "there", "caller", "their", "calling"}
Output: there
        their
        cat
        calling
        caller

                                       root
                                      /     \    
                                     c       t     
                                     |       |     
                                     a       h     
                                     | \     |     
                                     l  t    e      
                                     |       |  \
                                     l       i   r
                                     | \     |   |
                                     e  i    r   e
                                     |  |
                                     r  n
                                        |
                                        g 

Input: str = {"Candy", "cat", "Caller", "calling"}
Output: cat
        candy
        calling
        caller
                                        root
                                         |    
                                         c            
                                         |            
                                         a            
                                      /   | \        
                                     l    n  t       
                                     |    |       
                                     l    d       
                                     | \  |      
                                     e  i y      
                                     |  |
                                     r  n
                                        |
                                        g

Approach:

To solve the problem mentioned above, first, construct a Trie using all strings then print a string of rightmost subtree from top to bottom then print a string of second right subtree from top to bottom then print for third right subtree and so on. It is similar to preorder traversal of a tree from right to left.

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

C++

// C++ program to print array of string
// in reverse dictionary order using trie
 
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
#define CHILDREN 26
#define MAX 100
 
// Trie node
struct trie {
    trie* child[CHILDREN];
 
    // endOfWord is true
    // if the node represents
    // end of a word
    bool endOfWord;
};
 
// Function will return
// the new node initialized NULL
trie* createNode()
{
    trie* temp = new trie();
 
    temp->endOfWord = false;
 
    for (int i = 0; i < CHILDREN; i++) {
 
        // Initialize null to the all child
        temp->child[i] = NULL;
    }
    return temp;
}
 
// Function will insert the
// string in a trie recursively
void insertRecursively(trie* itr,
                       string str, int i)
{
 
    if (i < str.length()) {
        int index = str[i] - 'a';
 
        if (itr->child[index] == NULL) {
 
            // Create a new node
            itr->child[index] = createNode();
        }
 
        // Recursive call for insertion of string
        insertRecursively(itr->child[index], str, i + 1);
    }
    else {
 
        // Make the endOfWord
        // true which represents
        // the end of string
        itr->endOfWord = true;
    }
}
 
// Function call to insert a string
void insert(trie* itr, string str)
{
    // Function call with necessary arguments
    insertRecursively(itr, str, 0);
}
 
// Function to check whether the node is leaf or not
bool isLeafNode(trie* root)
{
    return root->endOfWord != false;
}
 
// Function to display the content of trie
void displayContent(trie* root, char str[], int level)
{
 
    // If node is leaf node, it indicates end
    // of string, so a null character is added
    // and string is displayed
    if (isLeafNode(root)) {
        // Assign a null character in temporary string
        str[level] = '\0';
        cout << str << endl;
    }
 
    for (int i = CHILDREN - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
 
        // check if NON NULL child is found
        // add parent key to str and
        // call the display function recursively
        // for child node
        if (root->child[i]) {
            str[level] = i + 'a';
            displayContent(root->child[i], str, level + 1);
        }
    }
}
 
// Function call for displaying content
void display(trie* itr)
{
    int level = 0;
 
    char str[MAX];
 
    displayContent(itr, str, level);
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    trie* root = createNode();
    insert(root, "their");
    insert(root, "there");
    insert(root, "answer");
    insert(root, "any");
 
    /* After inserting strings, trie will look like 
                                        root 
                                        / \ 
                                        a     t     
                                        |     |     
                                        n     h     
                                        | \ | 
                                        s y e     
                                        |     | \ 
                                        w     i r 
                                        |     | | 
                                        e     r e 
                                        |     
                                        r 
    */
 
    display(root);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to print array of string
// in reverse dictionary order using trie
import java.util.Scanner;
 
public class Main {
  private static final int CHILDREN = 26;
  private static final int MAX = 100;
 
  // Trie node
  private static class Trie {
    Trie[] child = new Trie[CHILDREN];
     
    // endOfWord is true
    // if the node represents
    // end of a word
    boolean endOfWord;
 
    Trie() {
      endOfWord = false;
      for (int i = 0; i < CHILDREN; i++) {
        child[i] = null;
      }
    }
  }
 
  // Function will return
  // the new node initialized NULL
  private static Trie createNode() {
    return new Trie();
  }
 
  // Function will insert the
  // string in a trie recursively
  private static void insertRecursively(Trie itr, String str, int i) {
    if (i < str.length()) {
      int index = str.charAt(i) - 'a';
      if (itr.child[index] == null) {
        // Create a new node
        itr.child[index] = createNode();
      }
      // Recursive call for insertion of string
      insertRecursively(itr.child[index], str, i + 1);
    } else {
      // Make the endOfWord
      // true which represents
      // the end of string
      itr.endOfWord = true;
    }
  }
  // Function call to insert a string
  private static void insert(Trie itr, String str) {
    // Function call with necessary arguments
    insertRecursively(itr, str, 0);
  }
 
  // Function to check whether the node is leaf or not
  private static boolean isLeafNode(Trie root) {
    return root.endOfWord;
  }
 
  // Function to display the content of trie
  private static void displayContent(Trie root, char[] str, int level) {
    // If node is leaf node, it indicates end
    // of string, so a null character is added
    // and string is displayed
    if (isLeafNode(root)) {
      // Assign a null character in temporary string
      str[level] = '\0';
      System.out.println(str);
    }
    for (int i = CHILDREN - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
      // check if NON NULL child is found
      // add parent key to str and
      // call the display function recursively
      // for child node
      if (root.child[i] != null) {
        str[level] = (char)(i + 'a');
        displayContent(root.child[i], str, level + 1);
      }
    }
  }
 
  // Function call for displaying content
  private static void display(Trie itr) {
    int level = 0;
    char[] str = new char[MAX];
    displayContent(itr, str, level);
  }
 
 
  // Driver code
  public static void main(String[] args) {
    Trie root = createNode();
    insert(root, "their");
    insert(root, "there");
    insert(root, "answer");
    insert(root, "any");
 
    /* After inserting strings, trie will look like
                                        root
                                        / \
                                        a     t    
                                        |     |    
                                        n     h    
                                        | \ |
                                        s y e    
                                        |     | \
                                        w     i r
                                        |     | |
                                        e     r e
                                        |    
                                        r
    */
 
    display(root);
  }
}
 
// This code is contributed by Aman Kumar

Python3

# Python3 program to print array of string
# in reverse dictionary order using trie
  
CHILDREN = 26
MAX = 100
  
# Trie node
class trie:
     
    def __init__(self):       
        self.child = [0 for i in range(CHILDREN)]
     
        # endOfWord is true
        # if the node represents
        # end of a word
        self.endOfWord = False;
 
# Function will return
# the new node initialized NONE
def createNode():
 
    temp = trie();
  
    temp.endOfWord = False;
     
    for i in range(CHILDREN):
  
        # Initialize null to the all child
        temp.child[i] = None;
     
    return temp;
 
# Function will insert the
# string in a trie recursively
def insertRecursively(itr, str, i):
  
    if (i < len(str)):
         
        index = ord(str[i]) - ord('a');
  
        if (itr.child[index] == None):
  
            # Create a new node
            itr.child[index] = createNode();
  
        # Recursive call for insertion of string
        insertRecursively(itr.child[index], str, i + 1);
     
    else:
  
        # Make the endOfWord
        # true which represents
        # the end of string
        itr.endOfWord = True;
     
# Function call to insert a string
def insert(itr, str):
 
    # Function call with necessary arguments
    insertRecursively(itr, str, 0);
  
# Function to check whether the node is leaf or not
def isLeafNode(root):
 
    return root.endOfWord != False;
  
# Function to display the content of trie
def displayContent(root, str, level):
  
    # If node is leaf node, it indicates end
    # of string, so a null character is added
    # and string is displayed
    if (isLeafNode(root)):
       
        # Assign a null character in temporary string
        print("".join(str[:level]))
     
    for i in range(CHILDREN-1, -1, -1):
  
        # check if NON NONE child is found
        # add parent key to str and
        # call the display function recursively
        # for child node
        if (root.child[i]):
            str[level] = chr(i + ord('a'));
            displayContent(root.child[i], str, level + 1);
  
# Function call for displaying content
def display(itr):
 
    level = 0;
  
    str = ['' for i in range(MAX)];
  
    displayContent(itr, str, level);
 
# Driver code
if __name__=='__main__':
     
    root = createNode();
     
    insert(root, "their");
    insert(root, "there");
    insert(root, "answer");
    insert(root, "any");
  
    ''' After inserting strings, trie will look like 
                                        root 
                                        / \ 
                                        a     t     
                                        |     |     
                                        n     h     
                                        | \ | 
                                        s y e     
                                        |     | \ 
                                        w     i r 
                                        |     | | 
                                        e     r e 
                                        |     
                                        r 
    '''
  
    display(root);
  
# This code is contributed by rutvik_56

C#

// C# program to print array of string
// in reverse dictionary order using trie
using System;
 
public class GFG
{
private const int CHILDREN = 26;
private const int MAX = 100;
   
  // Trie node
private class Trie
{
    public Trie[] Child = new Trie[CHILDREN];
   
    // endOfWord is true
    // if the node represents
    // end of a word
    public bool EndOfWord;
 
    public Trie()
    {
        EndOfWord = false;
        for (int i = 0; i < CHILDREN; i++)
        {
            Child[i] = null;
        }
    }
}
 
   // Function will return
  // the new node initialized NULL
private static Trie CreateNode()
{
    return new Trie();
}
 
   // Function will insert the
  // string in a trie recursively
private static void InsertRecursively(Trie itr, string str, int i)
{
    if (i < str.Length)
    {
        int index = str[i] - 'a';
        if (itr.Child[index] == null)
        {
            // Create a new node
            itr.Child[index] = CreateNode();
        }
        // Recursive call for insertion of string
        InsertRecursively(itr.Child[index], str, i + 1);
    }
    else
    {
          // Make the endOfWord
      // true which represents
      // the end of string
        itr.EndOfWord = true;
    }
}
 
// Function call to insert a string
private static void Insert(Trie itr, string str)
{
    // Function call with necessary arguments
    InsertRecursively(itr, str, 0);
}
 
// Function to check whether the node is leaf or not
private static bool IsLeafNode(Trie root)
{
    return root.EndOfWord;
}
 
// Function to display the content of trie
private static void DisplayContent(Trie root, char[] str, int level)
{
      // If node is leaf node, it indicates end
    // of string, so a null character is added
    // and string is displayed
    if (IsLeafNode(root))
    {
        // Assign a null character in temporary string
        str[level] = '\0';
        Console.WriteLine(new string(str));
    }
    for (int i = CHILDREN - 1; i >= 0; i--)
    {    
          // check if NON NULL child is found
      // add parent key to str and
      // call the display function recursively
      // for child node
        if (root.Child[i] != null)
        {
            str[level] = (char)(i + 'a');
            DisplayContent(root.Child[i], str, level + 1);
        }
    }
}
 
// Function call for displaying content
private static void Display(Trie itr)
{
    int level = 0;
    char[] str = new char[MAX];
    DisplayContent(itr, str, level);
}
 
// Driver code
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
    Trie root = CreateNode();
    Insert(root, "their");
    Insert(root, "there");
    Insert(root, "answer");
    Insert(root, "any");
         
       /* After inserting strings, trie will look like
                                        root
                                        / \
                                        a     t    
                                        |     |    
                                        n     h    
                                        | \ |
                                        s y e    
                                        |     | \
                                        w     i r
                                        |     | |
                                        e     r e
                                        |    
                                        r
    */
       
    Display(root);
}
}

Javascript

// Javascript program to print array of string
// in reverse dictionary order using trie
const CHILDREN = 26;
const MAX = 100;
 
// Trie node
class TrieNode {
  constructor() {
this.child = new Array(CHILDREN);
this.endOfWord = false;
  }
}
 
// Function will return the new node initialized NULL
function createNode() {
  const temp = new TrieNode();
  for (let i = 0; i < CHILDREN; i++) {
// Initialize null to the all child
temp.child[i] = null;
  }
  return temp;
}
 
// Function will insert the string in a trie recursively
function insertRecursively(itr, str, i) {
  if (i < str.length) {
const index = str.charCodeAt(i) - 97;
 
if (itr.child[index] == null) {
  // Create a new node
  itr.child[index] = createNode();
}
 
// Recursive call for insertion of string
insertRecursively(itr.child[index], str, i + 1);
  } else {
// Make the endOfWord true which represents the end of string
itr.endOfWord = true;
  }
}
 
// Function call to insert a string
function insert(itr, str) {
  // Function call with necessary arguments
  insertRecursively(itr, str, 0);
}
 
// Function to check whether the node is leaf or not
function isLeafNode(root) {
  return root.endOfWord !== false;
}
 
// Function to display the content of trie
function displayContent(root, str, level) {
  // If node is leaf node, it indicates end
  // of string, so a null character is added
  // and string is displayed
   
  if (isLeafNode(root)) {
// Assign a null character in temporary string
str[level] = '\0';
console.log(str.join('')+"<br>");
  }
 
  for (let i = CHILDREN - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
// check if NON NULL child is found
// add parent key to str and
// call the display function recursively
// for child node
if (root.child[i]) {
  str[level] = String.fromCharCode(i + 97);
  displayContent(root.child[i], str, level + 1);
}
  }
}
 
// Function call for displaying content
function display(itr) {
  const level = 0;
  const str = new Array(MAX);
  displayContent(itr, str, level);
}
 
// Driver code
const root = createNode();
insert(root, "their");
insert(root, "there");
insert(root, "answer");
insert(root, "any");
/* After inserting strings, trie will look like
                                    root
                                    / \
                                    a     t   
                                    |     |   
                                    n     h   
                                    | \ |
                                    s y e   
                                    |     | \
                                    w     i r
                                    |     | |
                                    e     r e
                                    |   
                                    r
*/
display(root);
 
// This code is contributed by Pushpesh Raj.

Output:

there
their
any
answer

Time Complexity: O(N*M*log(M)) where N is the total number of nodes in the trie, and M is the length of the longest string in the trie.
Auxiliary Space: O(N*M)

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Print Strings In Reverse Dictionary Order Using Trie

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Python3

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