Build a Maze Solver in Python Using Graphs

Mazes in Python: Build, Visualize, Store, and Solve

Darren Jones
Darren Jones 33 Lessons 2h 28m intermediate projects
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If you’re up for a little challenge and would like to take your programming skills to the next level, then you’ve come to the right place! In this hands-on video course, you’ll practice object-oriented programming, among several other good practices, while building a cool maze solver project in Python.

You’ll go step by step through the guided process of building a complete and working project. This will include reading a maze from a binary file, visualizing it using scalable vector graphics (SVG), and finding the shortest path from the entrance to the exit.

In this video course, you’ll learn how to:

  • Use an object-oriented approach to represent the maze in memory
  • Visualize the maze and its solution using scalable vector graphics (SVG)
  • Define a specialized binary file format to store the maze on disk
  • Transform the maze into a traversable weighted graph
  • Use a graph search algorithm in the NetworkX library to find the solution

This is an involved project that will really boost your skills as a Python programmer, and in the end, you won’t have to worry about getting lost in a maze.

What’s Included:

Downloadable Resources:

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Lay the Groundwork for Your Project

4 Lessons 14m

  1. 1. Mazes in Python: Build and Visualize02:47
  2. 2. Check Out What You'll Make02:39
  3. 3. Lay the Groundwork04:02
  4. 4. Scaffold the Project Structure04:50

Set Up the Maze Using an Object-Oriented Approach

4 Lessons 24m

  1. 1. Represent the Maze With Objects06:37
  2. 2. Create Border Patterns06:32
  3. 3. Model the Square02:25
  4. 4. Build the Maze09:07

Visualize the Maze With Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)

10 Lessons 42m

  1. 1. Visualize the Maze With SVG04:45
  2. 2. Implement Geometric Primitives04:48
  3. 3. Add More Primitives03:47
  4. 4. Decompose the Border Into Primitives04:41
  5. 5. Add More Border Patterns03:58
  6. 6. Build the SVG Renderer03:49
  7. 7. Add Features to the Renderer06:50
  8. 8. Draw the Solution03:13
  9. 9. Preview the Rendered Maze and Its Solution04:56
  10. 10. Mazes in Python: Build and Visualize (Recap)01:14

Store Your Maze in a Custom File Format

8 Lessons 37m

  1. 1. Mazes in Python: Store and Solve01:48
  2. 2. Load the Maze From a Binary File04:55
  3. 3. Choose Your Data Alignment05:09
  4. 4. Define the File Header and Body08:12
  5. 5. Serialize the Maze05:22
  6. 6. Deserialize the Maze04:32
  7. 7. Make the Maze Self-Contained04:30
  8. 8. Update the Maze Class03:16

Solve Your Maze With NetworkX

7 Lessons 29m

  1. 1. Solve the Maze Using a Graph-Based Approach03:01
  2. 2. Transform the Maze Into a Graph07:06
  3. 3. Find the Shortest Path05:23
  4. 4. Add Weights to Graph Edges02:36
  5. 5. Introduce Enemies and Rewards06:04
  6. 6. Make a Runnable Script03:59
  7. 7. Mazes in Python: Store and Solve (Recap)01:23
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About Darren Jones

With 20 years as a teacher of music technology, Darren is keen to bring his skills to the Python table.

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Each tutorial at Real Python is created by a team of developers so that it meets our high quality standards. The team members who worked on this tutorial are:

Christopher

Tappan

Bartosz

Geir Arne

Aldren

Kate

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