👉 Sorting, also known as sorting algorithms, are a set of procedures used in computer science to organize data into a specific order, such as ascending or descending. These algorithms take an unsorted list of elements and rearrange them based on a defined criterion, like numerical value or alphabetical order. Sorting is fundamental in many applications, including database management, file systems, and search engines, where efficient data retrieval depends on the order of elements. Common sorting algorithms include bubble sort, selection sort, insertion sort, merge sort, quicksort, and heapsort, each with its own efficiency characteristics and use cases. For instance, quicksort is widely used due to its average-case time complexity of O(n log n), while merge sort guarantees O(n log n) performance but requires additional space for merging. The choice of sorting algorithm depends on factors like data size, memory constraints, and the nature of the data being sorted.
