[heavenlyblue]

I don't think it's that clear.

If you'd like to do topological sorting you'd use one algorithm if that topological sorting is for a set of fixed tasks. Online topological sorting (that is - delta-based algorithms) used in databases would use a different algorithm and will also have different performance constraints.

I could see that in the long run we'll eventually figure out how to abstract all of the "complete/delta" stuff. I don't think we have yet figured this out yet.