About VizStep

Why VizStep exists

Most of us met algorithms as static pseudocode and a Big-O table — and memorized our way through. But an algorithm is a process, not a paragraph. Watching Quick Sort partition an array, or an AVL tree rotate itself back into balance, builds the kind of intuition that survives past the exam and into the interview.

The classic visualization sites pioneered this idea, and we learned from them. But they were built for the desktop web of a decade ago: hostile to phones, no way to see the code and the animation together, no way to compare two algorithms on the same data. VizStep is our attempt at what these tools should feel like today.

What you get

• 17 interactive visualizations across sorting, searching, data structures, and graphs — each with playback controls, adjustable speed, and step-by-step navigation.
• Synchronized pseudocode — the executing line highlights as the animation runs, so the code and the picture stay connected.
• Race mode — run 2–4 sorting algorithms side by side on identical data and watch the complexity classes separate in real time. Temporarily offline while we polish it.
• Live tree operations — insert, search, and delete on binary search trees and AVL trees, with every rotation animated.
• Written guides — complexity tables, multi-language code, FAQs on every algorithm page, and long-form tutorials on the blog.

Free means free

Every visualization and article on VizStep is free to use — no account, no sign-up wall, no feature gates. If VizStep helps your class, bootcamp cohort, or study group, link to it and share it.

For educators

VizStep works on the devices your students actually have, including phones. Every algorithm has a stable URL you can drop straight into a syllabus, slide, or LMS — for example the Merge Sort visualization. No installation, no accounts for students, no cookies required to learn.