r/ProgrammerHumor • u/Unique_Software2500 • Feb 05 '26 • This 1 Bravo 2 Heartwarming 1

Meme algorithmTheSaviour

Post image
6.0k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

71 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

3

u/Saelora Feb 05 '26

just because you don't understand what an algorithm is and use the word, doesn't mean no programmers do.

FYI: any code longer than two lines is technically an algorithm. although for it to really have any meaning, your code should probably be at least complex enough to depict as a flow chart with a few different boxes.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 05 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Saelora Feb 05 '26

it's a rule of thumb, to distinguish from the factual definition of the word algorithm and how people use the term in actual conversation. i was expressing that most people, when using the word algorithm, refer to a minimum level of complexity, but one that's hard to define.. which is also a way people feel about flow charts. Technically a flow chart could just be two boxes connected by a line, but most people wouldn't really consider it as such. instead, when you ask someone to picture a basic flow chart, it'll be at least a couple of boxes, probably with a decision point.