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Bubble sort is a sorting algorithm that works by repeatedly stepping through lists that need to be sorted, comparing each pair of adjacent items and swapping them if they are in the wrong order. This passing procedure is repeated until no swaps are required, indicating that the list is sorted. Bubble sort gets its name because smaller elements bubble toward the top of the list.
Bubble sort is also referred to as sinking sort or comparison sort.
Techopedia Explains Bubble Sort
Bubble sort has a worst-case and average complexity of O(n2), where n is the number of items sorted. Unlike the other sorting algorithms, bubble sort detects whether the sorted list is efficiently built into the algorithm. Bubble sort performance over an already sorted list is O(n).
The position of elements in bubble sort plays an important role in determining performance. Large elements at the beginning do not pose a problem as they are easily swapped. The small elements toward the end move to the beginning slowly. As such, these elements are called rabbits and turtles.
The bubble sort algorithm can be optimized by placing larger elements in the final position. After every pass, all elements after the last swap are sorted and do not need to be checked again, thereby skipping the tracking of swapped variables.
