Hash Sort in C++

Hash sort, also known as bucket sort, is a sorting algorithm that works by dividing the input into a number of equally-sized subarrays called buckets. Each bucket represents a range of values. The values are then distributed among the buckets based on their range. Once this is done, each bucket is sorted individually, and the sorted values are concatenated to obtain the final sorted output.

Here are the steps involved in the hash sort algorithm:

  1. Determine the number of buckets: The first step is to decide on the number of buckets to be used. This can be based on the range of values in the input array or a predefined number.

  2. Create the buckets: Once the number of buckets is determined, create an array of buckets. Each bucket can be implemented as a linked list, dynamic array, or any other suitable data structure.

  3. Distribute the values: Iterate through the input array and distribute each value into its corresponding bucket. The distribution can be done by using a hash function or by simply dividing the value by the range of values and multiplying it by the number of buckets.

  4. Sort each bucket: After distributing the values, sort each bucket individually using any sorting algorithm of your choice, such as insertion sort or quicksort. This step ensures that the values within each bucket are sorted.

  5. Concatenate the sorted buckets: Once all the buckets are sorted, concatenate them to obtain the final sorted output. This can be done by iterating through the buckets in order and appending the sorted values to a new output array.

  6. Return the sorted output: After concatenating the sorted buckets, return the resulting array as the sorted output.

That's it! The hash sort algorithm is complete. It has a time complexity of O(n + k), where n is the number of elements to be sorted and k is the number of buckets.