What is the Difference Between Insertion Sort and Selection Sort?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Insertion sort and selection sort are both sorting algorithms with different approaches to organizing data. Here are the main differences between them:
- Selection Criteria:
- Insertion sort picks an element from the unsorted part and shifts the larger elements one position to the right, inserting the selected element into the sorted part.
- Selection sort finds the minimum or maximum element in the unsorted part and swaps it with the last element in the sorted part, expanding the sorted part by one element.
- Stability:
- Insertion sort is a stable sorting algorithm, meaning that elements with the same value are preserved in their original order.
- Selection sort is an unstable sorting algorithm, meaning that elements with the same value may be reordered.
- Time Complexity:
- Insertion sort has a time complexity of O(n^2) in the worst case but can perform better on partially sorted arrays, with a best-case time complexity of O(n).
- Selection sort has a time complexity of O(n^2) in all cases.
- Swaps:
- Insertion sort requires fewer swaps than selection sort.
- Selection sort requires more swaps than insertion sort.
In summary, insertion sort is generally more efficient than selection sort, especially when the input array is already partially sorted. Selection sort, on the other hand, always has a time complexity of O(n^2) and is an unstable sorting algorithm.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Insertion Sort and Selection Sort? Comparative Table: Insertion Sort vs Selection Sort
Comparative Table: Insertion Sort vs Selection Sort
Here is a table comparing the differences between insertion sort and selection sort:
Feature | Insertion Sort | Selection Sort |
---|---|---|
Method | Inserts the value in the presorted array to sort the set of values in the array. | Finds the minimum/maximum number from the list and sorts it in ascending/descending order. |
Stability | Stable sorting algorithm. | Unstable sorting algorithm. |
Time Complexity | Best-case time complexity is Ω(N) when the array is already in ascending order, and Θ(N^2) in worst case and average case. | Best-case, worst-case, and average time complexity is Θ(N^2). |
Swaps | Fewer swaps than selection sort. | More swaps than insertion sort. |
Comparisons | More comparisons than selection sort. | Fewer comparisons than insertion sort. |
Insertion sort scans the sorted part of the array to find the correct position to place the element, while selection sort scans the unsorted part to find the minimum or maximum element and sorts it in ascending or descending order.
Read more:
- Bubble Sort vs Insertion Sort
- Bubble Sort vs Selection Sort
- Indexing vs Sorting
- Origin vs Insertion
- Insertion vs Replacement Vectors
- Spatial Sorting vs Natural Selection
- Substitution Insertion vs Deletion Mutations
- Recruitment vs Selection
- Binary Search vs Linear Search
- Disruptive Selection vs Stabilizing Selection
- Natural Selection vs Artificial Selection
- Binary Tree vs Binary Search Tree
- Insert vs Update vs Alter
- Permutations vs Combinations
- Natural Selection vs Sexual Selection
- Singly Linked List vs Doubly Linked List
- Stack vs Queue
- Inclusion vs Integration
- Natural Selection vs Evolution