This project is a beginner-friendly sorting algorithm visualizer developed using C++ and the Qt Framework.
The purpose of this project is to make sorting algorithms easier to understand by showing how they work programmatically. Instead of only explaining the theoretical concept of algorithms, this application demonstrates the individual steps during the sorting process and shows how comparisons, swaps, and data manipulation happen internally.
This project is especially designed for beginners who want to get a first practical understanding of how algorithms are implemented in code. The complete source code is publicly available, allowing other learners to inspect, modify, experiment with, and improve the project themselves.
The goal is not only to provide a working application, but also to encourage learning by allowing people to see how each part of the program works and how different programming concepts are applied.
The application currently supports the following sorting algorithms:
- Bubble Sort
- Selection Sort
- Insertion Sort
- Quick Sort
Each algorithm provides a step-by-step console-style output showing the internal operations during execution. This makes it easier to understand what happens behind the scenes when a computer sorts data.
- Beginner-friendly demonstration of sorting algorithms
- Selection between different sorting methods
- Custom user-defined number vectors
- Step-by-step output of algorithm operations
- Visible comparisons and swaps
- Fully accessible source code for learning and modification
- Written in C++ with Qt Widgets
- C++
- Qt Framework
- Qt Widgets
- Visual Studio / Qt Creator
During the development of this project, I was able to improve my understanding of algorithms, recursion, control structures, and data handling in C++.
The biggest challenge for me was the implementation of the QuickSort algorithm.
Compared to the other sorting algorithms, QuickSort was significantly more difficult to implement because it uses recursion, pivot selection, and dividing the input data into smaller sections. Understanding the recursive execution flow and correctly handling the pivot element required additional research and practice.
To implement QuickSort, I used external learning resources such as documentation, examples, and explanations from other developers on the internet. This was an important part of my learning process because it helped me understand the structure and logic behind the algorithm.
Although I was able to implement a working version, I consider algorithms such as QuickSort an area where I would like to continue improving in my future education, whether through university studies or vocational training. My goal is to develop a deeper understanding of algorithms, including their mathematical background and optimization techniques.
Possible future improvements:
- Support for larger datasets
- More advanced visualization methods
- Additional algorithms (e.g. Merge Sort, Heap Sort)
- Runtime and performance comparisons
- Improved user interface
- Better explanations directly inside the application
This project is intentionally open source.
Anyone interested in learning C++, algorithms, or software development is welcome to explore the source code, modify it, and experiment with their own improvements.
The project is meant to be a starting point for beginners who want to understand how algorithms are translated from theory into actual code.
By reading and modifying the source code, learners can gain practical experience with:
- Functions and parameters
- Loops and conditions
- Vectors and data structures
- Recursion
- Algorithm implementation
- Basic software architecture
/// Fabio Baensch
Developed as a personal learning project to improve my C++ programming skills and gain a deeper understanding of algorithms.