Simple Selection Sort Program in C
On this page (6sections)
About this program
This is an example program in c sorting programs. Read the concept first: C Array, then study the code and output below.
Definition
Selection sort is a sorting algorithm, specifically an in-place comparison sort. It has O(n2) time complexity, making it inefficient on large lists, and generally performs worse than the similar insertion sort. Selection sort is noted for its simplicity, and it has performance advantages over more complicated algorithms in certain situations, particularly where auxiliary memory is limited.
Simple Selection Sort Program:
/* Simple Selection Sort Program Using Array in C*/
/* Data Structure Programs,C Array Examples */
#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
#define MAX_SIZE 5
int main() {
int arr_sort[MAX_SIZE], i, j, a, t, p;
printf("Simple Selection Sort Example - Array\n");
printf("\nEnter %d Elements for Sorting\n", MAX_SIZE);
for (i = 0; i < MAX_SIZE; i++)
scanf("%d", &arr_sort[i]);
printf("\nYour Data :");
for (i = 0; i < MAX_SIZE; i++) {
printf("\t%d", arr_sort[i]);
}
for (i = 0; i < MAX_SIZE; i++) {
p = i;
for (j = i; j < MAX_SIZE; j++) {
if (arr_sort[p] > arr_sort[j])
p = j;
}
if (p != 1) {
//Swapping Values
t = arr_sort[i];
arr_sort[i] = arr_sort[p];
arr_sort[p] = t;
}
printf("\nIteration %d : ", i);
for (a = 0; a < MAX_SIZE; a++) {
printf("\t%d", arr_sort[a]);
}
}
printf("\n\nSorted Data :");
for (i = 0; i < MAX_SIZE; i++) {
printf("\t%d", arr_sort[i]);
}
}Sample Output:
Simple Selection Sort Example - Array
Enter 5 Elements for Sorting
123
45
32
1
12
Your Data : 123 45 32 1 12
Iteration 0 : 1 45 32 123 12
Iteration 1 : 1 12 32 123 45
Iteration 2 : 1 12 32 123 45
Iteration 3 : 1 12 32 45 123
Iteration 4 : 1 12 32 45 123
Sorted Data : 1 12 32 45 123
------------------
(program exited with code: 0)Related Pages
Learn the concept first, then study the code:
- Data Structures — Browse all Data Structures.
- C Array — Concept — sorting operates on array elements.
- Simple Bubble Sort Program in C — More in c sorting programs.
- Simple Bubble Sort Program using functions in C — More in c sorting programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this C program do?
It is a C example program that demonstrates Simple Selection Sort, including the complete source code and the expected sample output.
How do I compile and run this C program?
Save the code in a `.c` file, compile it with `gcc filename.c -o program`, then run it with `./program` (or `program.exe` on Windows).
What concepts does this example use?
This example uses loops to iterate over data, arrays and conditional logic, illustrating a common pattern in C programming.