How to implement Selection sort in Java

Selection sort is an in-place sorting algorithm; it does not require any extra space apart from the given array. The array will be divided into two parts: sorted and unsorted.

In our example, the sorted part comes before the unsorted part; however, it may be the opposite with some slight changes.

The algorithm works as follows:

  1. Initially, the whole array is unsorted.
  2. Find the minimum of the unsorted part and swap it with the first element.
  3. Now, consider the minimum number chosen in the previous step as part of the sorted array. The size of the sorted part grows this way.
  4. Continue steps one through three until there are no elements left in the un-sorted part.
Given an array, we need to sort it using Selection sort. Hence, we must select the smallest element in the array.
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Implementation

class SelectionSort {
public static void main(String[] args){
SelectionSort ss = new SelectionSort();
int[] arr = {2,1,0,8,-4};
System.out.println("Original Array:");
ss.printArr(arr);
arr = ss.sort(arr);
System.out.println("\nSorted Array:");
ss.printArr(arr);
}
int[] sort(int[] arr){
int min, minIndex, temp;
// 'start' is the point where 'unsorted' array begins
for(int start = 0; start < arr.length - 1; start++){
// Finding the minimum
min = arr[start];
minIndex = start;
for(int i = start + 1; i < arr.length; i++){
if(arr[i] < min){
min = arr[i];
minIndex = i;
}
}
// Swap the minimum with the first element
temp = min;
arr[minIndex] = arr[start];
arr[start] = temp;
}
return arr;
}
void printArr(int[] arr){
for(int i = 0; i < arr.length; i++)
System.out.print(arr[i] + " ");
}
}

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