← GlossaryWas this page helpful?
What does "algorithm" mean in programming?
algorithm is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.
Definition
A finite sequence of well-defined instructions for solving a problem. Algorithms are evaluated on their time complexity (how long they take) and space complexity (how much memory they use).
Example
"The search algorithm runs in O(log n) time because it uses a binary search."
Can you put this sentence in the right order?
Tap the words to place them here
Keep building your technical English
You just looked up what this word means. Lingua-e turns vocabulary like this into full practice: fill-in-the-blanks, listening, and real developer conversations.
Practice this for free