Sorting Algorithms In VB

All too often in an application, there's a need to sort a list of items. In this article, I will cover some of the more common sorting algorithms and give a few tips on choosing the right one for the job. I will cover the classic "Bubble sort" and "Insertion sort," right through to the difficult "Exchange sort" and "Stack sort." Then, you will look into a "Hybrid sort" that is a mix of the "Insertion and Stack sort" algorithms. You also will look at the advantages and disadvantages of each sorting algorithm.

First, look at a list of different sorting algorithms with a short list of details. 'Stable' refers to the ability of the sort algorithm to keep identical items in the original order.

Sort Name	Method	Stable?	Short Description
Bubble Sort	Exchanging	Yes	Basic two-loop sort
Cocktail Sort	Exchanging	Yes	Bi-directional Bubble sort
Comb Sort	Exchanging	No	Faster variation of the Bubble sort
Gnome Sort	Exchanging	Yes	Hybrid (Bubble and Insertion Sort)
Selection Sort	Selection	No	In-place comparison sort
Insertion Sort	Insertion	Yes	Simple comparison sort
Shell Sort	Insertion	No	Generalization of insertion sort
Binary tree sort	Insertion	Yes	Builds a Binary tree of the data and uses the tree to sort
Library Sort	Insertion	Yes	Insertion sort that leaves gaps in the list for subsequent elements
Merge Sort	Merging	Yes	A divide, sort, and merge algorithm
In-Place Merge Sort	Merging	Yes	Space-optimised version of the merge sort
Heap Sort	Selection	No	Two-stage comparison style sort
Smooth Sort	Selection	No	Small variation of a Heap sort
Quick Sort	Partitioning	No	Recursive partition and sort
Intro Sort	Hybrid	No	Hybrid of quick sort and heap sort
Patience Sorting	Insertion	No	Statistical ordering of elements
Stand Sort	Selection	Yes	Useful for data which is stored in a linked list

There are still more sorting algorithms and methods, but some require specific hardware, like the "Bead sort" and "Network Sort," and others are so impractical that they exist solely for demonstration purposes, like the "Bogo Sort" and "Stooge Sort" (named after the Three Stooges).

Richard Newcombe has been involved in computers since the time of the Commodore 64. Today, he has excelled in programming, and designs. Richard is in his mid 30's and, if or when you looking for him look no further than his computer. Always willing to help and give advice where he can in regard to computer related subjects. At present he is working as a .NET 2008 Software Developer for Syncrony Web Services, South Africa.