Selection Sort

Repeatedly find the index of the smallest remaining element and swap it into the next "sorted prefix" slot. Unlike bubble sort, only one swap per pass.

Algorithm

Basic Implementation

basic.c

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) {
    int arr[] = {5, 1, 4, 2, 8};
    int n = (int)(sizeof(arr) / sizeof(arr[0]));
    for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; ++i) {
        int minIdx = i;
        for (int j = i + 1; j < n; ++j) {
            if (arr[j] < arr[minIdx]) {
                minIdx = j;
            }
        }
        if (minIdx != i) {
            int tmp = arr[i];
            arr[i] = arr[minIdx];
            arr[minIdx] = tmp;
        }
    }
    printf("[");
    for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
        if (i > 0) printf(", ");
        printf("%d", arr[i]);
    }
    printf("]\n");
    return 0;
}

The pinned input [5, 1, 4, 2, 8] sorts with two real swaps. The frames keep the running minimum and swap positions visible.

Step 1 - First scan finds 1

In the first pass, min_idx moves from 5 to 1.

Step 2 - Swap 5 and 1

The smallest value moves into the first sorted slot.

Step 3 - Second scan finds 2

In the unsorted suffix, 2 is smaller than 5 and becomes the next minimum.

Step 4 - Sorted after two swaps

Swapping 5 and 2 gives [1, 2, 4, 5, 8]; later passes find no real swap.

Complexity

Time: O(n^2) regardless of input order
Space: O(1)
Stable: no
Swap count: at most n-1

Implementation notes

C: same loop shape as Python / Java / JavaScript / C++. The if (minIdx != i) guard is the canonical skip-swap variant from the lesson spec.
int minIdx = i; keeps the running-minimum invariant visible; a raw int tmp swap mirrors the bubble-sort lesson.
The replay highlights the current minIdx distinctly from the scanning index j so the viewer sees the running minimum travel.

running minimum `minIdx` tracks the index of the smallest value seen in `arr[i..]`.

sorted prefix After each pass, `arr[0..i]` is the final sorted prefix.