How does the quicksort algorithm work?

How does the quicksort algorithm work?

Quicksort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm that sorts an array by selecting a 'pivot' element and partitioning the other elements into two sub-arrays.

Can you explain the partitioning process?

Sure! In the partitioning process, elements less than the pivot go to one side, and those greater go to the other, effectively sorting around the pivot.

What is the average time complexity of quicksort?

The average time complexity of quicksort is O(n log n), making it efficient for large datasets.

Can you provide a code example of quicksort in Python?

Absolutely! Here's a simple implementation:

def quicksort(arr):
    if len(arr) <= 1:
        return arr
    pivot = arr[len(arr) // 2]
    left = [x for x in arr if x < pivot]
    middle = [x for x in arr if x == pivot]
    right = [x for x in arr if x > pivot]
    return quicksort(left) + middle + quicksort(right)