A finite, well-defined sequence of steps for solving a problem or performing a computation.
Algorithms are the foundation of all software. A recipe is a useful analogy: given ingredients (inputs), you follow precise steps to get a dish (output). In computing, algorithms sort lists, find the shortest route on a map, compress files, and rank search results.
Computer scientists compare algorithms by their efficiency, usually expressed in Big O notation, which describes how running time or memory grows as the input grows. For example, binary search finds an item in a sorted list far faster than checking every element one by one. In public conversation, the word algorithm often refers to the ranking systems on social media platforms, which typically combine many algorithms with machine learning models.
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