Site icon Treehouse Blog

What Is An Algorithm?

If you’ve used social media—or even just the Internet in general—you might have heard the term “algorithm.” Algorithms hold an enormous amount of sway over what we see, click, and even purchase. As a programmer, it’s important to have a comprehensive view of algorithms and how they work.

What is an algorithm?

Simply put, an algorithm is a series of steps that solves a problem. Wait—isn’t an algorithm the thing that chooses the posts you see on your social media feed? Yes, but at its most essential, it’s much more broad than that. Take a look at the video below to get a better idea of how you should start to think about an algorithm.

Here’s what an algorithm is:

If you want to learn more about algorithms…

As you can probably tell, algorithms are hugely relevant to the way most software runs. You can study this concept and its applications through our PHP development courses, which gives you unlimited access to courses, projects, a Slack community, and much more. Try a free seven-day trial to see if PHP is for you!

Exit mobile version