Quicksort vs Merge Sort: Which is Better?

What are the main differences between quicksort and merge sort?

Quicksort is an in-place sorting algorithm that uses a divide-and-conquer approach, while merge sort is a stable sorting algorithm that divides the array into halves, sorts them, and then merges them back together.

Which one is faster for large datasets?

Quicksort generally performs better on average for large datasets due to its lower overhead, but merge sort has a guaranteed O(n log n) time complexity, making it more predictable.

Are there any scenarios where merge sort is preferred over quicksort?

Yes, merge sort is preferred when stability is required, such as when sorting linked lists or when dealing with large datasets that don't fit into memory.

Can you explain the space complexity of both algorithms?

Quicksort has a space complexity of O(log n) due to recursive calls, while merge sort has a space complexity of O(n) because it requires additional space for the temporary arrays used during merging.