Radix Sort is considered a stable sorting algorithm. A sorting algorithm is said to be stable if it preserves the relative order of equal elements in the sorted output as they appeared in the original input. In the case of Radix Sort, the stability arises from the way it processes digits in multiple passes.
During each pass, Radix Sort distributes and collects elements into and from buckets based on the values of the current digit. Importantly, the algorithm ensures that elements with equal values at the current digit remain in the same relative order when collected from the buckets. This property is maintained throughout each pass of the algorithm.
Because Radix Sort processes digits independently and considers the significance of digits from the least significant to the most significant (or vice versa), it naturally preserves the order of elements with equal values at each digit position. As a result, Radix Sort exhibits stability, making it suitable for scenarios where maintaining the original order of equal elements is important.
Stability is a desirable property in sorting algorithms for certain applications, such as when sorting data based on multiple criteria or when the order of equal elements carries significance. The stability of Radix Sort adds to its versatility in various sorting scenarios.
