Bubble sort is a straightforward sorting algorithm that repeatedly steps through a list of elements, compares adjacent elements, and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. This process continues until the entire list is sorted. Let's dive deeper into how bubble sort works and its step-by-step process.
Let's assume we have an unsorted list of numbers: [5, 2, 9, 1, 6]. Our goal is to rearrange this list into ascending order using bubble sort.
Bubble sort begins by comparing the first element with the second one, then the second with the third, and so on. In each comparison, if the elements are not in the desired order, they are swapped.
In our example, we start by comparing 5 and 2. Since 5 is greater than 2, we swap them, resulting in [2, 5, 9, 1, 6]. The list now becomes [2, 5, 9, 1, 6].
After the first comparison, the largest element (9) moves to the end of the list. We continue by comparing the remaining elements.
Next, we compare 5 and 9. Since they are in the correct order, we don't need to swap them. The same happens with 9 and 1.
Now, we compare 1 and 6. They are also in the wrong order, so we swap them. The list becomes [2, 5, 1, 9, 6].
We repeat steps 2 and 3 until no more swaps are needed. This process ensures that the largest element "bubbles" to the end of the list in each iteration.
After repeating the process, our list becomes: [2, 1, 5, 6, 9]
While bubble sort is simple to understand and implement, it has some disadvantages compared to other sorting algorithms.
Due to its simplicity and ease of implementation, bubble sort can be used in situations where the number of elements is small and the dataset is nearly sorted. However, in most real-world scenarios, more efficient sorting algorithms like merge sort or quicksort are preferred.
That's it for understanding bubble sort! Stay tuned for the next post, where we'll explore ways to optimize bubble sort and improve its time complexity.