Conclusion
I used to think sorting algorithms were just academic exercises. "Why memorize Bubble Sort when sort() exists?"
But understanding their characteristics—Time Complexity, Space Complexity, Stability, and Adaptiveness—gave me a new lens to view code. It taught me that there is no "Best" algorithm. Only the "Right" algorithm for the current data.
- Small data or nearly sorted? -> Insertion Sort.
- Minimizing Writes? -> Selection Sort.
- Need simplicity? -> Bubble Sort (maybe for teaching).
The O(N²) trio might be slow for Big Data, but they are the building blocks of algorithmic thinking. Before jumping to Quick Sort, make sure you truly understand why Insertion Sort is still king in small neighborhoods.