Generic Selection Sort in Java

Below is a generic example of the Selection Sort algorithm in Java. See the Selection Sort page for more information and implementations.


selection-sort in Java (Generic)

public class SelectionSortGeneric<T extends Comparable<? super T>> {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        // example using Strings
        String[]                     arrayOfStrings = {"Andree", "Leana", "Faviola", "Loyce", "Quincy", "Milo", "Jamila", "Toccara", "Nelda", "Blair", "Ernestine", "Chara", "Kareen", "Monty", "Rene", "Cami", "Winifred", "Tara", "Demetrice", "Azucena"};
        SelectionSortGeneric<String> stringSorter   = new SelectionSortGeneric<>();
        stringSorter.selectionSort(arrayOfStrings);
        System.out.println(java.util.Arrays.toString(arrayOfStrings));

        // example using Doubles
        Double[]                     arrayOfDoubles = {0.35, 0.02, 0.36, 0.82, 0.27, 0.49, 0.41, 0.17, 0.30, 0.89, 0.37, 0.66, 0.82, 0.17, 0.20, 0.96, 0.18, 0.25, 0.37, 0.52};
        SelectionSortGeneric<Double> doubleSorter   = new SelectionSortGeneric<>();
        doubleSorter.selectionSort(arrayOfDoubles);
        System.out.println(java.util.Arrays.toString(arrayOfDoubles));
    }

    void selectionSort(T[] array)
    {
        // step 1: loop from the beginning of the array to the second to last item
        for (int currentIndex = 0; currentIndex < array.length - 1; currentIndex++)
        {
            // step 2: save a copy of the currentIndex
            int minIndex = currentIndex;
            // step 3: loop through all indexes that proceed the currentIndex
            for (int i = currentIndex + 1; i < array.length; i++)
            {
                // step 4:  if the value of the index of the current loop is less
                //          than the value of the item at minIndex, update minIndex
                //          with the new lowest value index */
                if (array[i].compareTo(array[minIndex]) < 0)
                {
                    // update minIndex with the new lowest value index
                    minIndex = i;
                }
            }
            // step 5: if minIndex has been updated, swap the values at minIndex and currentIndex
            if (minIndex != currentIndex)
            {
                T temp = array[currentIndex];
                array[currentIndex] = array[minIndex];
                array[minIndex] = temp;
            }
        }
    }
}

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