Azim Hossain Tuhin

What is Binary Search?

Binary search is a fast and efficient way to find an item in a sorted list. Instead of checking each element one by one, it looks at the middle value first. Based on whether the value is too high or too low, it then focuses only on the left or right half of the list. This makes searching much quicker.

Why Use Binary Search?

Binary search is faster than basic search methods like linear search. It reduces the number of comparisons by half each time, which means it works really well with large lists. It’s used in many real-world applications where speed matters.

How Does It Work?

The algorithm begins by checking the middle element of the list. If the middle value is equal to the item you're searching for, you're done. If it's smaller, it searches the right half of the list. If it's larger, it looks in the left half. This process continues until the item is found or the search range is empty.

Where You Can Use Binary Search

Binary search is used in many places like search engines, e-commerce filters, and game leaderboards. Any time you’re working with a sorted list and want to find something quickly, binary search is a great choice.

Conclusion

Binary search is simple, effective, and very useful. It’s one of the first algorithms every developer should learn. Just remember that the list must be sorted before using it. Once you get the logic, it becomes a powerful tool in your programming toolkit.