Algorithms Simplified

An easy and practical guide to visualising and understanding sorting algorithms in Java

In this course you will learn how various sorting algorithms work down to the last detail. We skip the theory and jump straight into understanding how sorting algorithms work from a more practical point of view. This course includes thorough animations and code explanations to get you up to speed as quickly as possible.

Sorting algorithms are used to sort data. They are used everywhere, from simply sorting numbers in an application, to sorting files by name on your operating system, to sorting videos by popularity on a website. Without sorting algorithms, most of what we take for granted today would not be possible.

We start with the most basic of sorting algorithms and then gradually move on to more complex and efficient algorithms, each one more interesting than the last. This course covers five sorting algorithms: Bubble Sort, Insertion Sort, Shell Sort, Merge Sort, and Quick Sort.

Algorithms may look like complicated beasts, but with the right guidance, you start to realise that they are not so mysterious after all. By looking at carefully crafted animations you will gain an understanding of an algorithm without even looking at the code. Then studying the code afterwards becomes a greatly simplified process, removing a lot of the guesswork and frustration.