Spreadsheet dependency graph ($G=(V,E)$)

The directed graph whose vertices are the spreadsheet cells and whose directed edges $u\to v$ mean that the spreadsheet formula in $v$ references $u$. Input spreadsheet cells have no prerequisites in this model. Retain both incoming references and outgoing consumers: depth-first search for evaluation follows incoming references backwards, whereas downstream invalidation follows outgoing consumers forwards. A directed path then expresses indirect dependence, and a directed cycle expresses a spreadsheet circular reference.