Sorting Algorithms: An Introduction to Bubble Sort, Step-by-Step Explanation + Code Examples
Bubble Sort is one of the simplest sorting algorithms in computer science. Its core idea is to repeatedly compare adjacent elements and swap their positions, allowing larger elements to gradually "bubble" up to the end of the array. The basic steps are: the outer loop controls n-1 rounds of comparisons (each round determines the position of one large element), and the inner loop starts from the first element, comparing adjacent elements in sequence; if the previous element is larger and the next is smaller, they are swapped. An optimization is that if no swaps occur in a round, it indicates the array is already sorted, and the process can terminate early. In terms of time complexity, the worst-case scenario (completely reverse ordered) is O(n²), while the best case (already sorted) is O(n). The space complexity is O(1) (only constant extra space is required). This algorithm is simple to implement and easy to understand, making it suitable for sorting small-scale data and serving as a foundational entry point for sorting algorithms.
Read MoreImplementing the Selection Sort Algorithm with Python
Selection sort is a simple and intuitive sorting algorithm. Its core idea is to repeatedly select the smallest (or largest) element from the unsorted elements and place it at the end of the sorted portion until the entire array is sorted. The steps are as follows: initially, assume the current element is the smallest, traverse the unsorted portion to find a smaller element, swap it to the end of the sorted portion, and repeat until completion. In Python implementation, the outer loop variable `i` controls the end of the sorted portion (ranging from 0 to n-2). The inner loop variable `j` traverses the unsorted portion (from i+1 to n-1) to find the position `min_index` of the smallest element. Finally, swap `arr[i]` with `arr[min_index]`. For the test array [64, 25, 12, 22, 11], the sorted result is [11, 12, 22, 25, 64]. It has a time complexity of O(n²), a space complexity of O(1), and is an in-place sorting algorithm. Its characteristics are: simple to understand, but unstable (the order of identical elements may be swapped), and suitable for small-scale data.
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