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Software Engineering vocabulary · Data Structures and Algorithms

Stable sort

Meaning in software engineering, with examples

nounCommon term

In software engineering, stable sort means: A sorting method that preserves the original relative order of items whose sorting keys are equal.

In Turkish: kararlı sıralama

How it is used

Use it when equal-key order matters. Stable describes ordering behavior, not whether the code crashes.

Example sentences

  1. A stable sort by department kept employees with equal keys in their original order.

    Within each department, earlier entries remain ahead of later ones.

  2. We used a stable sort by total after sorting invoices by date, so equal totals retained date order.

    The second sort preserves the ordering already established among tied values.

Common collocations

  • perform a stable sort
  • stable sort algorithm
  • sortTo put items in a particular order, for example numbers from smallest to largest or names alphabetically. Many algorithms exist to do this efficiently.
  • algorithmA clear, step-by-step method for solving a problem or doing a task, such as sorting a list or finding the shortest route between two points.

More terms: Data Structures and Algorithms

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