Definition
Directed graph
A vertex set equipped with a specified set of ordered edges.
A directed graph is a pair with . An ordered edge , written , has source and target . This convention allows loops and allows both and ; additional hypotheses can exclude them. There are no parallel copies of an edge when is a set.
Paths
Directed paths follow successive arrows; a directed cycle returns to its starting vertex. Edge orientation must be stated when the graph describes dependencies: “requires” and “is used by” give opposite conventions.