Sorting Algorithms in JavaScript

Last Updated : 3 Jul, 2026

Sorting is an important operation in computer science that arranges elements of an array or list in a certain order (either ascending or descending).

Example

JavaScript 
//Sort in JavaScript

let arr = [25, 12, 22, 11];

for (let i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
    for (let j = 0; j < arr.length - i - 1; j++) {
        if (arr[j] > arr[j + 1]) {
            // Swap elements
            let temp = arr[j];
            arr[j] = arr[j + 1];
            arr[j + 1] = temp;
        }
    }
}

console.log("Sorted Array:", arr);
core_sorting_algorithms

Types of Sorting

Bubble Sort

Bubble Sort is one of the simplest sorting algorithms. It repeatedly compares adjacent elements and swaps them if they are in the wrong order.

JavaScript 
// JavaScript Program for Bubble Sort

function bubbleSort(arr, n) {
    let swapped = false;
    for(let i = 0;i < n; i++){
        swapped = false;
        for(let j = 0 ; j < n - i -1; j++){
            if( arr[j] > arr[j+1]){
                [arr[j], arr[j+1]] = [arr[j+1], arr[j]];
                swapped = true;
            }
        }
        
        if( swapped === false) break;
    }
    return arr;
}

let a = [2, 1, 3, 4];
a = bubbleSort(a, 4);
console.log(a);


Time Complexity: O(n2)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Selection Sort

Selection Sort is a simple comparison-based algorithm. It divides the array into two parts: sorted and unsorted. In each iteration, it selects the smallest (or largest) element from the unsorted part and moves it to the sorted part. It is in place algorithm.

Notes: Selection sort it does less memory write compared to other Algorithm but Cycle sort is Optimal in terms of memory Writes.

JavaScript 
// JavaScript Program for selectionSort

function selectionSort(arr) {
    let n = arr.length;
    for (let i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
        let minIndex = i;
        for (let j = i + 1; j < n; j++) {
            if (arr[j] < arr[minIndex]) {
                minIndex = j;
            }
        }
        // Swap arr[i] and arr[minIndex]
        let temp = arr[i];
        arr[i] = arr[minIndex];
        arr[minIndex] = temp;
    }
    return arr;
}

let arr = [64, 25, 12, 22, 11];
console.log(selectionSort(arr));


Time Complexity: O(n2)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Insertion Sort

Insertion Sort is a simple and stable sorting algorithm that builds the final sorted array one element at a time. It works by iterating through the array and inserting each element into its correct position in the already sorted portion of the array.

Characteristics of Insertion Sort:

  • This algorithm is one of the simplest algorithm with simple implementation
  • Basically, Insertion sort is efficient for small data values
  • Insertion sort is adaptive in nature, i.e. it is appropriate for data sets which are already partially sorted.
JavaScript 
// JavaScript Program for InsertionsSort
function insertionSort(arr) {
    let n = arr.length;
    for (let i = 1; i < n; i++) {
        let key = arr[i];
        let j = i - 1;
        while (j >= 0 && arr[j] > key) {
            arr[j + 1] = arr[j];
            j--;
        }
        arr[j + 1] = key;
    }
    return arr;
}

// Example usage:
let arr = [12, 11, 13, 5, 6];
console.log(insertionSort(arr));


Time Complexity: O(n2)
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

Merge Sort

Merge Sort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm. It divides the array into two halves, recursively sorts them, and merges the sorted halves.

JavaScript 
// JavaScript Program for Merge Sort
function mergeSort(arr) {
    if (arr.length <= 1) {
        return arr;
    }
    const mid = Math.floor(arr.length / 2);
    const left = mergeSort(arr.slice(0, mid));
    const right = mergeSort(arr.slice(mid));
    return merge(left, right);
}

function merge(left, right) {
    let result = [];
    let i = 0;
    let j = 0;
    while (i < left.length && j < right.length) {
        if (left[i] < right[j]) {
            result.push(left[i]);
            i++;
        } else {
            result.push(right[j]);
            j++;
        }
    }
    return result.concat(left.slice(i), right.slice(j));
}
// Example usage
let arr = [38, 27, 43, 3, 9, 82, 10];
console.log(mergeSort(arr));


Time Complexity: O(n log n)
Auxiliary Space: O(n)

Quick Sort Using Lomuto

Quick Sort is another divide-and-conquer algorithm. It works by selecting a 'pivot' element from the array and partitioning the other elements into two sub-arrays, according to whether they are less than or greater than the pivot.

Lomuto Partition :

  • In Lomuto Partition, the last element is chosen as the pivot.
  • It maintains two pointers: one for smaller elements and another for iterating through the array.
  • Lomuto Partition is less efficient than Hoare's Partition because it performs more swaps and handles repeated elements poorly.

Hoare's Partition :

  • In Hoare's Partition, the first element is chosen as the pivot.
  • It uses two pointers starting from both ends of the array and moves them toward each other.
  • Hoare's Partition generally provides better performance, especially with repeated elements, but it is slightly harder to implement.
JavaScript 
function quickSort(arr, low = 0, high = arr.length - 1) {
    if (low < high) {
        let pivot = arr[high];
        let i = low - 1;
        for (let j = low; j < high; j++) {
            if (arr[j] < pivot) {
                i++;
                [arr[i], arr[j]] = [arr[j], arr[i]];
            }
        }
        [arr[i + 1], arr[high]] = [arr[high], arr[i + 1]];
        let pi = i + 1;
        quickSort(arr, low, pi - 1);
        quickSort(arr, pi + 1, high);
    }
    return arr;
}
// Example usage:
let arr = [10, 7, 8, 9, 1, 5];
console.log(quickSort(arr));


Time complexity: O(n log n), but in worst case it takes O(n2) time.
Auxiliary Space: O(log n)

Easy Problem On Sorting in JavaScript

Medium Problem On Sorting in JavaScript

Hard Problem On Sorting in JavaScript

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