🫧 What’s the Big Deal About Bubble Sort?

“It’s the little differences that make the big difference.” – Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill

In the programming world, there are moments when small changes lead to big outcomes—just as Napoleon Hill said.
One of the best examples of this is Bubble Sort.

At first glance, it’s so simple that it’s easy to dismiss. But behind its simplicity lies a surprisingly meaningful lesson.

Bubble Sort works by scanning a list from start to finish, comparing two neighboring elements, and swapping them if they’re in the wrong order.
Once it reaches the end of the list, it starts over, repeating the same process until no swaps are needed.

This way, the largest elements gradually move to the end of the list—just like bubbles floating to the surface of water.
That’s why it’s called “Bubble” Sort!

👣 Step by Step Through the Algorithm

Understanding Bubble Sort isn’t hard. Think back to when you used to organize your desk drawer as a kid—
a big pencil, a small eraser, a medium-sized ruler… Didn’t you naturally arrange them by size?

Bubble Sort works in almost the exact same way:

  1. Compare two neighboring values.
  2. If they’re in the wrong order, swap them!
  3. Repeat this until you reach the end of the list. That’s one pass.
    Keep repeating passes until the list is fully sorted.

Bubble Sort says:
“Don’t try to be perfect all at once. Change a little at a time—and keep coming back.”

🧪 Bubble Sort in Python

Let’s put it into code:

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def bubble_sort(arr):
    n = len(arr)
    for i in range(n):
        # The last i elements are already in place
        for j in range(0, n-i-1):
            if arr[j] > arr[j+1]:
                # Swap positions
                arr[j], arr[j+1] = arr[j+1], arr[j]
    return arr

# Test
print(bubble_sort([64, 34, 25, 12, 22, 11, 90]))

When you run this, you’ll see the larger numbers move toward the back, and the smaller numbers drift to the front—
almost like a story where the most dominant character gradually steps back, allowing peace to take over 😄

🎯 Wrapping Up

Bubble Sort isn’t the most efficient sorting method,
but it’s the perfect beginner-friendly algorithm for understanding the basics of sorting.

Life is a lot like that, too—sometimes small, consistent changes matter more than one big, perfect move.

“Organizing is choosing—what to keep, and what to change.”
Bubble Sort has a way of teaching us that about life 😊