We present parallel algorithms for computing single-source reachability and shortest paths on directed n-vertex m-edge graphs using near-linear O~(m) work and o(n) depth whenever m≥n1+o(1). At the extreme of m=Ω(n2), our reachability and shortest path algorithms have depth only n0.136 and n0.25+o(1), respectively. The state-of-the-art parallel algorithms with near-linear work for both problems require Ω(n) depth in all density regimes.
@article{arxiv.2605.03892,
title = {Parallel Reachability and Shortest Paths on Non-sparse Digraphs: Near-linear Work and Sub-square-root Depth},
author = {Vikrant Ashvinkumar and Aaron Bernstein and Maximilian Probst Gutenberg and Thatchaphol Saranurak},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2605.03892},
year = {2026}
}