The size of the giant component in random hypergraphs: a short proof

Abstract

We consider connected components in $k$-uniform hypergraphs for the following notion of connectedness: given integers $k\ge 2$ and $1\le j \le k-1$, two $j$-sets (of vertices) lie in the same $j$-component if there is a sequence of edges from one to the other such that consecutive edges intersect in at least $j$ vertices. We prove that certain collections of $j$-sets constructed during a breadth-first search process on $j$-components in a random $k$-uniform hypergraph are reasonably regularly distributed with high probability. We use this property to provide a short proof of the asymptotic size of the giant $j$-component shortly after it appears.