eli5 what’s the point of having so many sorting algorithms if the primary objective is to sort, i mean why can’t we just use one algorithm for all

Question

eli5 what’s the point of having so many sorting algorithms if the primary objective is to sort, i mean why can’t we just use one algorithm for all

In: 6

Answer 1

Different algorithms sort at different speeds, use different amounts of memory, and are better suited to different applications. It is sort of like saying “why can’t we just use one wheel for everything”; while the wheels on luggage and the wheels on an airplane are both wheels you wouldn’t want to use the same one for both.