A Simple Framework for Finding Balanced Sparse Cuts via APSP

Abstract

We present a very simple and intuitive algorithm to find balanced sparse cuts in a graph via shortest-paths. Our algorithm combines a new multiplicative-weights framework for solving unit-weight multi-commodity flows with standard ball growing arguments. Using Dijkstra's algorithm for computing the shortest paths afresh every time gives a very simple algorithm that runs in time Õ(m2/ø) and finds an Õ(ø)-sparse balanced cut, when the given graph has a ø-sparse balanced cut. Combining our algorithm with known deterministic data-structures for answering approximate All Pairs Shortest Paths (APSP) queries under increasing edge weights (decremental setting), we obtain a simple deterministic algorithm that finds mo(1)ø-sparse balanced cuts in m1+o(1)/ø time. Our deterministic almost-linear time algorithm matches the state-of-the-art in randomized and deterministic settings up to subpolynomial factors, while being significantly simpler to understand and analyze, especially compared to the only almost-linear time deterministic algorithm, a recent breakthrough by Chuzhoy-Gao-Li-Nanongkai- Peng-Saranurak (FOCS 2020).