Bubble Sort
Bubble sort, also known as sinking sort, is a simple sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through the list of elements, compares adjacent elements, and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. This process is repeated until the list is fully sorted. The algorithm has a time complexity of O(n^2), which makes it inefficient for large datasets.
How Bubble Sort Works
- The algorithm starts by comparing the first and second elements, swapping them if they are in the wrong order.
- It then compares the second and third elements, swapping them if necessary, and continues this process until the end of the list.
- After the first iteration, the largest element will be at the end of the list.
- The process is repeated for the remaining iterations until the entire list is sorted.
Use Cases
- Bubble sort is often used to introduce the concept of sorting algorithms to introductory computer science students due to its simplicity.
- It can be used to sort small datasets and is a method for teaching new programmers how to sort data sets because the algorithm is straightforward to understand and implement.
Efficiency and Limitations
- The efficiency of bubble sort decreases dramatically on lists with more than a small number of elements, making it impractical for large datasets.
- Due to its O(n^2) complexity, other sorting algorithms like insertion sort are usually considerably more efficient.
In summary, bubble sort is a basic sorting algorithm that is easy to understand and implement, making it suitable for educational purposes and small datasets. However, its inefficiency for large datasets limits its practical use in real-world applications.
