How Algorithms Work and Why They're So Important
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Algorithms are important for a number of reasons. First, they allow computers to solve problems that would be impossible for humans to solve on their own. Second, algorithms can be used to optimize the performance of computer programs, and third, algorithms can be used to create new and innovative software applications. Everything around us is now controlled by some algorithm, how things get ordered in our shopping cart, how things get arranged when you click on “order by price”, how your GPS is choosing a better route, everything has an algorithm behind it.
Top 10 algorithms
Here are some of the most important algorithms in computer science that every Software Engineer should now, and people involved in Software Projects:
Bubble sort: A simple sorting algorithm that repeatedly compares adjacent elements and swaps them if they are in the wrong order - I mention this here mostly for historical reasons and to mention that we rarely use this, its performance is pretty bad and it is quite inefficient, it is often used for learning purposes.
Merge sort: A more efficient sorting algorithm that divides the input array in half and recursively sorts the two halves before merging them back together.
Quicksort: A recursive sorting algorithm that chooses a pivot element and partitions the array around the pivot.
Binary search: A search algorithm that finds the position of a target value in a sorted array by repeatedly comparing the target value to the middle element of the array.
Graph search: An algorithm that finds a path between two nodes in a graph.
Greedy algorithm: An algorithm that makes the best possible choice at each step, without considering the future consequences of its decisions.
Dijkstra's algorithm: An algorithm that finds the shortest path between two nodes in a weighted graph - Your GPS relies on this!
Floyd-Warshall algorithm: An algorithm that finds the shortest paths between all pairs of nodes in a weighted graph.
Backtracking algorithm: An algorithm that explores all possible solutions to a problem, backtracking to a previous state when a dead end is reached.
Genetic algorithm: An algorithm that mimics the process of natural selection to find the best solution to a problem.
Sorting algorithms and software engineers
Sorting algorithms are one of the most important algorithms for software engineers to know. Sorting is a fundamental operation that is used in many different types of software, such as search engines, databases, and operating systems, it is also one of the areas in Computer Science with more research.
There are many different sorting algorithms, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Software engineers need to be familiar with the different sorting algorithms and choose the right one for the specific task at hand.
Cheers!