Framework

SPFA (Bellman-Ford variant) to find shortest (in cost) augmenting path. Augment. Repeat until no s-t path.

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Why shortest path

Follows from potential function argument. Shortest-augmenting-path preserves optimality invariant.

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Complexity

O(F × E × V) with SPFA where F = max flow value. Pseudo-polynomial in flow value.

Johnson-like reweighting

Use potentials from previous SPFA as node prices. Enables Dijkstra on subsequent iterations (all reduced costs ≥ 0).