Common Programming Algorithms Explained

When it comes to computer programming, algorithms are essential. They serve as the foundation of any program, and act as instructions that tell a computer to take certain actions. Algorithms are often used to process data and to ensure that instructions are executed in an orderly manner. In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the most common algorithms used in programming.

Search Algorithms

Search algorithms are used to search for a particular item in a data set. Examples of search algorithms include linear search, binary search, depth-first search and breadth-first search. Linear search involves sequentially searching for the item in the data set until it is found. Binary search involves searching for an element in a sorted data set by dividing it into two halves. Depth-first search is a technique used to search down a single branch of a tree and breadth-first search searches all the nodes at the same level before moving on to the next level.

Sorting Algorithms

Sorting algorithms are used to sort a collection of data in a specified order. Common sorting algorithms include insertion sort, selection sort, merge sort, bubble sort, and quick sort. Insertion sort involves comparing an element with all the elements in the pre-sorted portion of the array and then inserting it in its correct position. Selection sort finds the smallest element from the unsorted portion of the array and places it at the beginning. Merge sort works by dividing the array into halves, sorting each halves and then merging them. Bubble sort compares two adjacent elements and swaps them if they are in the wrong order. Quick sort is a faster version of merge sort, it picks an element as a pivot and places all the smaller elements to the left and larger elements to the right.

Graph Algorithms

Graph algorithms are used to traverse a graph. Examples of graph algorithms are depth-first search, breadth-first search and topological sort. Depth-first search traverses the graph in a depth-first manner and breadth-first search traverses the graph in a breadth-first manner. Topological sort orders the elements in a graph in a topological order.

String Algorithms

String algorithms are used to work on strings of characters. Examples of string algorithms are the Levenshtein distance algorithm, the Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm, the Rabin-Karp algorithm, the Aho-Corasick algorithm and the Boyer-Moore algorithm. The Levenshtein distance algorithm is used to calculate the distance between two strings. The Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm is used to find a substring within a string. The Rabin-Karp algorithm is used to identify similar substrings within a string. The Aho-Corasick algorithm finds all instances of a pattern in a string. Finally, the Boyer-Moore algorithm is used to efficiently detect substring in a string.

Conclusion

Algorithms are a cornerstone of computer programming. There are a multitude of algorithms available and each one can be used to solve a different type of problem. Knowing the fundamentals of common algorithms will help you to become a better programmer. With time, practice and experience, you will become familiar with the most commonly used algorithms and be able to apply them appropriately.