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Joseph Muchai
Joseph Muchai

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What is Big-O?

Photo by Conny Schneider on Unsplash
This is a submission for DEV Computer Science Challenge v24.06.12: One Byte Explainer.

Explainer

It's a way to compare the efficiency of an algorithm in terms of its worst-case performance. Takes 2 forms:

  • Time complexity: How well the running time scales with the input size.
  • Space complexity: How well the memory usage scales with the input size.

Additional Context

Big-O ignores implementation details and constants, focusing solely on how algorithms scale. It enables high-level comparison of algorithms' efficiency, guiding choices for optimal performance across diverse problem sizes and computing environments. Understanding Big-O is crucial for designing effective and scalable solutions in computer science.

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