Introduction
Welcome to the first part of the series: "Algorithm Every Programmer Should Know." In this series, we explore fundamental algorithms including Searching, Sorting, Graphs, Arrays, and more.
Today, we begin with the Searching Algorithms. These algorithms help you efficiently find data within a collection. We cover four core searching techniques that every programmer must know.
Linear Search
Linear search (or sequential search) checks each element in a list until the target is found or the entire list has been searched.
How it works:
- Search sequentially from the first to the last element.
Performance:
- Best Case: Target is at the first position.
- Worst Case: Target is at the last position or not present.
When to Use Linear Search:
- Lists are unsorted.
- Lists are small.
Binary Search
Binary search finds the position of a target value in a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
How it works:
- Compare target with the middle element.
- Narrow the search interval based on the comparison.
Performance:
- Best Case: Target is the middle element.
- Worst Case: Logarithmic time complexity.
When to Use Binary Search:
- Lists are sorted.
- Lists are large.
Depth First Search (DFS)
DFS traverses or searches through a graph/tree structure by exploring as deep as possible along each branch before backtracking.
How it works:
- Start at a root node.
- Explore each branch fully before moving to the next.
Performance:
- Best Case: Target is at the root.
- Worst Case: Target is at the end of a long branch.
When to Use DFS:
- The tree/graph is wide.
- The target is located deep in the structure.
Breadth First Search (BFS)
BFS traverses or searches graph/tree structures by exploring all neighbors at the current depth before moving on to the next level.
How it works:
- Start at a root node.
- Visit all neighboring nodes level by level.
Performance:
- Best Case: Target is near the root.
- Worst Case: Target is far and the structure is deep.
When to Use BFS:
- The target is close to the root.
- The tree/graph is deep, and the target is rare.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for the next part in the "Algorithm Every Programmer Should Know" series. If you found this helpful, feel free to share it with others.