A comprehensive overview of various sorting algorithms and their implementations.
Sorting algorithms are methods for reorganizing a sequence of items in a specific order, typically in ascending or descending sequence. These algorithms are fundamental to computer science and are used in a wide variety of applications.
The efficiency of sorting algorithms is typically measured in terms of time complexity (how long it takes to sort) and space complexity (how much memory it uses). Different sorting algorithms have different trade-offs between these factors.
Common sorting algorithms include Bubble Sort, Selection Sort, Insertion Sort, Merge Sort, Quick Sort, and Heap Sort. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for different scenarios.
Bubble Sort is one of the simplest sorting algorithms. It repeatedly steps through the list, compares adjacent elements, and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. The algorithm gets its name because smaller elements 'bubble' to the top of the list.
Quick Sort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm that works by selecting a 'pivot' element from the array and partitioning the other elements into two sub-arrays according to whether they are less than or greater than the pivot. The sub-arrays are then sorted recursively.