The thesis presents the field of external sorting. In the thesis we describe and compare multiple sorting algorithms for external sorting based on their behavior, their advantages and disadvantages. The algorithms we compare are the straight multiway merge sort, balanced multiway merge sort, natural multiway merge sort, polyphase merge sort, cascade sort, distribution sort, funnel sort and two pre-sorting algorithms. The purpose of the thesis is to describe and present how the algorithms work in theory and in practice. We implemented the algorithms in the C programming language and then experimentally compared them on a personal computer with one external storage device.
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