topological order

Topological order is a way of arranging items such that each item appears before those that depend on it. Imagine a list of tasks where some must be completed before others, like building a house—laying the foundation first, then framing, then wiring. In graph terms, it's a sequence where every task comes after its prerequisites. This ordering helps in planning, scheduling, and understanding dependencies in systems like project management, compilation, and network flows, ensuring tasks are done in the correct sequence without conflicts.