The Bubble Sort Algorithm is a ‘sinking sort algorithm’ that compares each pair of adjacent elements in an array and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. It is a simple sorting algorithm that is called a bubble sort because the elements gradually ‘bubble’ their way to their proper place, much like bubbles rising to the surface of a liquid. This process continues until all the elements are in the proper place.
The history od the bubble sort algorithm can be traced back to the late 1950s. It was first implemented on the IBM 704 computer by COBOL programmer Arthur Samuel. The algorithm was later popularized by Donald Knuth in his famous book ‘The Art of Computer Programming.’ Today, bubble sort is widely used in computer science education as a teaching tool and is still considered a classic sorting algorithm despite its numerous limitations.
As it is a basic sorting algorithm, it is a good starting point for people who are new to the field of computer science. It provides a perfect introduction to the concept of the sorting algorithm and helps in understanding how bubble sort algorithm works in general. It is a good exercise for learning about nested loops and conditional statements.
Dive deep into the article to learn more about the bubble algorithm, its comparison with the binary search tree, advantages and disadvantages.
Comparison Between Bubble Sort Algorithm and Binary Search Tree
As a simple sorting algorithm is called Bubble Sorting, it is usually compared with Binary Search Tree. Many people new to this topic ask the question: Are Bubble Sort Algorithm and Binary Search Tree are same? Let’s learn about it.
A Binary Search Tree is a data structure in computer science that is used for searching, insertion, and deletion of elements in sorted order. It is a binary tree where each node has a value and left and right children. While the left child of a node is always less than the node’s value, the right child is always greater. This data structure allows for efficient element searchings by reducing the number of elements that need to be compared.
Bubble Sort and Binary Search are two completely different algorithms and data structures. Bubble Sort is a simple sorting algorithm used to sort an array of elements, while a Binary Search Tree is a data structure used for storing and retrieving elements in sorted order.
Moreover, Bubble Sort is used when you want to sort a small array of elements. On the contrary, Binary Search Tree is used when you need to search for elements in a large dataset as it provides a more efficient search time of O(log n).
How Bubble Sort Algorithm Works?
The Bubble Sort Algorithm works by repeatedly swapping adjacent elements if they are in the wrong order. The algorithm first compares the first two elements in the array. If the first element is greater than the second, it swaps them. Then, it moves on to the next pair of elements and repeats the process. This continues until all the elements in the array are in their proper order.
The algorithm repeats this process for all the elements in the array. This ensures that the largest elements ‘Bubble’ their way to the end of the array after each iteration. The process is repeated until the array is completely sorted.
Look at the example below to learn how Bubble Sort Algorithm works:
Let’s take an example of an unsorted array [5,3,1,4,2]. The first step of the Bubble Sort Algorithm is to compare their first two elements, 5 and 3. Since 5 is greater than 3, the two elements are swapped, and the array becomes [3,5,1,4,2].
Next, the algorithm compares the other two elements, 5 and 1, and swaps them, resulting in [3,1,5,4,2]. This process continues until all the elements are in their proper order. After one iteration, the largest element, 5 will have ‘Bubbled” to the end of the array. The algorithm then repeats the process for the remaining elements, excluding the last element, until the array is completely sorted.
Time And Space Complexity of Bubble Sort Algorithm
The time complexity of the Bubble Sort Algorithm is O(n^2), which means that it takes quadratic time to sort an array of elements. It makes bubble sort inefficient for large arrays.
The space complexity of the Bubble sort is O(1), as it only requires a constant amount of additional memory to sort an array.
Advantages of the Bubble Sort Algorithm
The advantages of the Bubble Sort Algorithm are:
Simple To Understand
The Bubble Sort Algorithm is one of the simplest sorting algorithms to understand and implement, making it a good choice for educational purposes or small projects where a more efficient sorting algorithm is not necessary.
Stable Sorting Algorithm
Bubble sort is a stable sorting algorithm, meaning that elements with equal values maintain their relative order in the sorted array. This is important in certain applications where the order of elements with the same value is important.
In-Place Sorting
Bubble sort is an in-place sorting algorithm, meaning that it does not require additional memory to sort an array. This makes it a good choice for systems with limited memory.
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Disadvantages of the Bubble Sort Algorithm
The disadvantages of the Bubble Sort Algorithm are as follows:
Inefficient For Large Arrays
As the time complexity of bubble sort is O(n^2), it becomes very slow for large arrays, making it an inefficient choice for sorting large datasets.
Poor Performance Compared to Other Sorting Algorithms
Other sorting algorithms, such as quicksort and merge sort, have a better time complexity and are much more efficient for sorting large arrays.
Not Adaptive
Bubble sort is not an adaptive sorting algorithm, meaning that its performance does not improve based on the initial order of the elements in the array. This makes it a poor choice for arrays that are partially sorted or nearly sorted.
Conclusion
The Bubble Sort Algorithm is a simple sorting algorithm that is highly useful for small arrays and educational purposes. The algorithm’s straightforward approach and ease of implementation make it a good choice for learning about sorting algorithms and for small projects with limited memory. Additionally, its stability makes it ideal for certain applications where the order of elements with the same value is important.
In summary, it is important to choose the appropriate sorting algorithm based on the requirements of the project, such as the size of the dataset and the desired performance. The Bubble Sort Algorithm may be a good choice for small arrays and educational purposes, but it is not the best choice for large arrays or real-world applications.
Also Read: Learn about Arrays in C++ Programming
