A Beginners Guide to Java Algorithms

In our previous blog, we have already shared the reason why Java has become increasingly important in several industry verticals. Also, we have talked about the first pillar of Java i.e. Data Structures, and its importance. Today we are going to focus on the second pillar i.e. Algorithm. Anxiety, complications, Difficulties are some of the synonyms that usually people relate to when it comes to Algorithms. As a passionate developer, one must erase these words from their dictionary when it comes to working with Algorithms. Learning Algorithms is one aspect but the other aspect is logically applying it in your work routine.

What are Algorithm in Java?

Algorithms are the way to do things and are a process to solve problems.  The algorithm is a process or set of rules that are to be followed during calculations or resolving problems. In short, it’s a step-by-step process to complete a task in order to get the desired result. A perfect example is: To cook a dish one follows step-by-step instructions in order and the final output is the dish that you have made. Not all instructions are considered Algorithms. It is considered as an Algorithm only if it has the following characteristics:

Following are some pre-requisites that you need to write an Algorithm:

• Problem to be solved
• Constraints to be considered for solving the problem
• Input to be taken
• Output is the expectation
• Solution under the constraints

Types of Algorithms:

• Brute Force Algorithm
• Greedy Algorithm
• Recursive Algorithm
• Backtracking Algorithm
• Divide and Conquer Algorithm
• Dynamic Algorithm
• Randomised Algorithm

Sorting In Algorithms:

Sorting is one of the essential procedures in Java Programming language. It is a class of algorithms that is assigned with the task of rearranging the position of elements in ascending or descending order. We have listed down 5 popular sorting algorithms in Java. Most of the Algorithms are flexible and can be used with a recursive and iterative approach.

MERGE SORT: This is considered as one of the most flexible sorting algorithms. It does not change the order of original elements in an array. It is used when the data structure does not support random access. It is widely used for external sorting.

QUICK SORT: Quicksort uses the concept of divide and conquers which means the original array is divided into two and is sorted individually. Once the sorting of both these arrays is done, it is merged to produce one array.

BUBBLE SORT: It follows the simple and slow sorting process that compares each pair of adjacent elements and swaps them if they are in the wrong order.

SELECTION SORT: Another simple and slow algorithm that selects the lowest and highest element from the unsorted section and moves it to the end of the sorted section.

INSERTION SORT: It is a method in which the arrays are divided into two parts. One is sorted and the other is unsorted. Values from the unsorted section are picked up and inserted in the sorted section at the relevant place.

Though sorting looks like a difficult process it can be mastered with practice over a period of time. Algorithms are an extensive topic and can run into pages. The above data will help beginners to get an overview on some important aspects of Algorithms. It is through hands-on experience that one can become an expert in this subject. You can explore the Certification in Java Full Stack Development offered by EduBridge on that will furnish in-depth knowledge on the subject.