🧩 Sudoku Solver

Sudoku Solver is a Java-based console application that efficiently solves Sudoku puzzles using a backtracking algorithm. It provides a simple and effective way to solve any standard 9x9 Sudoku board, ensuring all Sudoku rules are followed.

📑 Table of Contents

• Key Features
• Demonstration Video
• How It Works
• Tools and Technologies Used
• Prerequisites
• Installation Instructions
  • Clone this repository
  • Navigate to the project directory
  • Compile the project
  • Run the application
• Observations

🚀 Key Features

• Efficient Solving: Utilizes a backtracking algorithm to solve Sudoku puzzles quickly and accurately.
• Console-Based Interface: Simple and straightforward console output for easy use without the need for a graphical interface.
• Easy to Use: Minimal setup required—just compile and run to solve any 9x9 Sudoku puzzle.
• Customizable Puzzles: Easily modify the Sudoku board within the code to solve different puzzles.

📹 Demonstration Video

💡 How It Works

• Board Initialization:
  • The application initializes a 9x9 Sudoku board with predefined values. Empty cells are represented by 0.
• Backtracking Algorithm:
  • The solver scans the board to find empty cells.
  • For each empty cell, it tries numbers from 1 to 9.
  • It checks if placing a number violates Sudoku rules (no duplicates in the current row, column, or 3x3 subgrid).
  • If a valid number is found, it places the number and recursively attempts to solve the rest of the board.
  • If no valid number is found, it backtracks to the previous cell and tries the next number.
• Solution Output:
  • Once the board is successfully solved, the application prints the solved Sudoku board to the console.
  • If the board is unsolvable, it notifies the user accordingly.

🔧 Tools and Technologies Used

• Java: A versatile and widely-used programming language, ideal for building robust applications.
• IDE (Optional): Integrated Development Environment for writing and debugging Java code.
• Git: Version control system for tracking changes and collaborating on the project.

📋 Prerequisites

Before running the application, ensure you have the following prerequisites installed:

• Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or higher: Required to compile and run Java applications.
• Git: (Optional) For cloning the repository.

📝 Installation Instructions

1. Clone this repository

git clone https://github.com/esperanca-leonardo/sudoku.git

2. Navigate to the project directory

cd toolbox-backend

3. Compile the project

Ensure you have the JDK installed. Open your terminal or command prompt and run:

javac App.java

This command compiles the App.java file and generates the App.class bytecode file.

4. Run the application

After successful compilation, run the application using:

java App

The application will attempt to solve the predefined Sudoku puzzle and display the result in the console.

📌 Observations

• Custom Puzzles: To solve a different Sudoku puzzle, modify the board array in the App class. Replace the 0s with the known numbers of your puzzle.
• Unsolvable Puzzles: If the application prints "Unsolved board :(", it means the provided Sudoku puzzle does not have a valid solution.
• Extensibility: While currently a console application, the solver can be extended with a graphical user interface (GUI) or integrated into larger applications as needed.