What is a heuristic?

A heuristic refers to a practical approach to problem-solving that often employs a rule of thumb or mental shortcut. This is particularly useful in situations where finding an optimal solution is impractical due to complexity, time constraints, or insufficient information. Heuristics allow individuals or algorithms to make educated guesses or approximations that can lead to satisfactory solutions quickly, rather than getting bogged down by the exhaustive processes required to analyze each potential option thoroughly.

For example, in computer science and artificial intelligence, heuristics are commonly used in algorithms for optimization problems, such as pathfinding and scheduling tasks. By utilizing a heuristic, one can streamline decision-making processes significantly, making it a valuable tool when perfect accuracy is less critical than speed or efficiency.