For instance, the famous Bubble Sort algorithm is a method for sorting a list. It's very slow but simple: you simply step through the list comparing each line with the previous one, and if they are out of order, swap them. You keep doing that until going through the whole list has no swaps (it's entirely in order). The actual code to implement a Bubble Sort would vary from language to language; the algorithm is the same for all languages.

Here's the algorithm for Bubble Sort:

- Start with the first item
- Compare it to every other item in the list
- If it's bigger, than swap it with the other item
- Repeat the process with the second item in the list
- Repeat with the third item, etc. etc.
- Stop when the entire list as been gone through.

Here's the code for Bubble Sort written in REALbasic:

  
    dim i, y, max, thePass as integer 
    dim noExchanges as boolean 
    dim theTemp as string 
     
    //  
    // This sorts the string array "theItems" 
    //  
     
    max = uBound(theItems) 
     
    if max > 0 then 
      thePass = 1 
      do 
        noExchanges = true 
        for i = 1 to max - thePass 
          y = i + 1 
           
          if theItems(i) > theItems(y) then 
            // Swap items 
            theTemp = theItems(i) 
             
            theItems(i) = theItems(y) 
             
            theItems(y) = theTemp 
             
            noExchanges = false 
          end if 
        next // i 
        thePass = thePass + 1 
      loop until noExchanges 
    end if // max > 0 
     
    // Rebuild listbox 
    for i = 1 to uBound(theItems) 
      termList.addRow theItems(i).term 
    next 
   

In summary, the algorimth describes the process: code implements that process in a particular language.

gameOver = (shipFuel < 1) and (numShips < 1)

if (key < "0" or key > "9") and key <> "." then
return true
end if