Programming Concepts Beginner

What is Algorithm?

A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a computation, defined as a finite sequence of instructions.

Algorithms are the foundation of computer science. They define how to solve problems efficiently. Key properties include correctness (produces right output), efficiency (time and space complexity), and finiteness (terminates).

Common algorithm types include sorting (quicksort, mergesort), searching (binary search), graph algorithms (Dijkstra, BFS/DFS), dynamic programming, and greedy algorithms. Algorithm efficiency is measured using Big O notation.

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Related Terms

Factory Pattern

A creational design pattern that provides an interface for creating objects without specifying their exact classes.

Immutable Object

An object whose state cannot be modified after creation, providing thread safety and predictable behavior in concurrent systems.

A data structure that maps keys to values using a hash function, providing average O(1) time complexity for lookups, insertions, and deletions.

Singleton Pattern

A design pattern that restricts a class to a single instance and provides a global point of access to that instance.

A reusable solution template for commonly occurring problems in software design.

A mathematical notation that describes the worst-case performance of an algorithm as input size grows.

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