Compare two strategies for finding minimal dependency sets
Algorithm Strategies:
Greedy Elimination: Starts with all M dependencies and tests removing each one individually. If the build succeeds without a dependency, it's unnecessary and removed permanently. If the build fails, the dependency is required and kept. Always takes exactly M tests regardless of how many are actually required. Simple and predictable, but doesn't exploit any structure in the problem.
Binary Search: Starts with nothing and finds required dependencies by elimination. For each unknown required dependency, it tests whether it's in the left or right half of the remaining search space by attempting to build without that half. If the build fails, a required dependency must be in that half - narrow the search there. If it succeeds, the required dependency is in the other half. Repeats until pinpointing each required dependency's exact position. Takes O(N log M) tests - highly efficient when N << M (few required dependencies).