graph_traversal is the process of visiting vertices and edges of a graph in a systematic order. The two core strategies are breadth-first_search and depth-first_search, each uncovering structure in different ways. Traversal underpins many tasks like shortest_paths in unweighted_graphs, cycle_detection, and topological_sorting. Efficient implementations hinge on the right data structures, careful visited_tracking, and understanding time and space costs.