AI engineering glossary · Data structures algorithms
What is in-place algorithm?
In-place algorithm: An algorithm that transforms its input using only a small, constant amount of extra memory rather than building a copy. It saves memory but often modifies the original data. This matters when memory is limited or the data set is very large.
In-place algorithm: an example
Reversing an array by swapping the first and last items, then moving inward, needs only one temporary variable.
Related terms
More Data structures algorithms terms
- Insertion sort
- Interval scheduling
- Kadane's algorithm
- Knapsack problem
- Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm
- Kruskal's algorithm
- Linear search
- Linked list
Where you learn it
In-place algorithm is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.