Here’s a list of 15 popular algorithms that are widely used in programming fields. So, you can start from the beginning, one by one.
- Binary Search: An efficient search algorithm for finding an element in a sorted list by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
- Bubble Sort: A simple sorting algorithm that repeatedly swaps adjacent elements if they are in the wrong order.
- Insertion Sort: A sorting algorithm that builds the final sorted array one item at a time by inserting elements into their correct positions within a sorted subarray.
- Selection Sort: A sorting algorithm that divides the input list into a sorted and an unsorted region, repeatedly selecting the smallest (or largest) element from the unsorted region and placing it in the sorted region.
- Merge Sort: A divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm that recursively divides the input list into smaller sublists, sorts them and then merges the sorted sublists to produce a sorted output.
- Quick Sort: A divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm that partitions the input list around a pivot element and recursively sorts the sublists on either side of the pivot.
- Heap Sort: A comparison-based sorting algorithm that builds a binary heap and repeatedly extracts the maximum (or minimum) element from it to obtain a sorted array.
- Depth-First Search (DFS): A graph traversal algorithm that explores as far as possible along each branch before backtracking.
- Breadth-First Search (BFS): A graph traversal algorithm that explores a graph’s vertices in breadth-first order, visiting vertices in layers of increasing distance from the starting vertex.
- Dijkstra’s Algorithm: An algorithm for finding the shortest path between nodes in a graph with non-negative edge weights.
- A Algorithm*: A heuristic search algorithm that finds the shortest path between nodes in a graph, considering both the actual cost from the start node and an estimate of the remaining cost to the goal node.
- Knapsack Problem: A dynamic programming algorithm that solves the problem of selecting items from a set with specific values and weights to maximize the total value while not exceeding a given weight limit.
- Prim’s Algorithm: An algorithm for finding the minimum spanning tree of a connected weighted graph.
- Kruskal’s Algorithm: An algorithm for finding the minimum spanning tree of a connected weighted graph by adding edges in ascending order of their weights.
- Quicksort: A widely used sorting algorithm based on the divide-and-conquer principle, which recursively partitions the input list and sorts the sublists.
These are just a few examples, and there are many more algorithms for various purposes and problem domains. Exploring these algorithms will give you a solid foundation for understanding and implementing more complex algorithms in the future.