VisuSort

A terminal-based interactive sorting algorithm visualizer written in C++

Merge Sort visualization

Selection Sort visualization	Counting Sort visualization

With Theory

🎯 Supported Sorting Algorithms

• Selection Sort

• Insertion Sort

• Bubble Sort

• Quick Sort

• Merge Sort

• Heap Sort

• Counting Sort

💡 Prerequisites

• C++ compiler with C++20 support (g++, clang++)
• Python 3.x (for the interactive menu)
• Linux/Unix-like environment (or WSL on Windows)

🛠️ Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/crypticsaiyan/visusort.git
   cd visusort

2. Build the project:

   # Using the installation script (recommended)
   chmod +x installation.sh
   ./installation.sh
   
   # Or manually
   g++ -O3 -s $(find . -name "*.cpp") -o main

📚 Usage

Method 1: Interactive Python Menu (Recommended)

python3 visusort.py

Method 2: Direct Command Line

./main <algorithm> <display_theory>

Parameters:

• <algorithm>: One of selection, insertion, bubble, quick, merge, heap, counting
• <display_theory>: 1 to show theory, 0 to skip

Examples:

# Run bubble sort with theory explanations
./main bubble 1

# Run quick sort without theory
./main quick 0

# Run merge sort with theory
./main merge 1

Example Session:

Enter the length of test array: 5
Enter the values separated by spaces: 64 34 25 12 22

🎨 Visual Elements

• ^: Current element being processed
• *: Element being compared
• Red highlighting: Elements being swapped
• Green highlight: Element(s) currently being compared
• Blue highlight: Element(s) actively being processed or manipulated
• Yellow highlight: Element(s) that are sorted and in their final position
• Comparison counter: Real-time count of comparisons made

Note: The visual elements may vary slightly based on the terminal emulator used.

⚙️ Customization

Animation Speed

You can adjust the animation speed by modifying the pause_duration value in globals.cpp and recompiling:

1. Open globals.cpp
2. Change the value of pause_duration (default is 200ms)
   • Lower values = faster animation
   • Higher values = slower animation
3. Recompile using the installation script:

   ./installation.sh

📝 License

MIT License

📊 Performance Notes

• Small Arrays (< 20 elements): All algorithms perform similarly
• Medium Arrays (20-100 elements): O(n log n) algorithms show clear advantages
• Large Arrays (> 100 elements): Performance differences become very apparent
• Counting Sort: Excellent for arrays with small range of values

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Made with ❤️ by crypticsaiyan

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