Counting sort is a special way to arrange numbers, and it’s different from other sorting methods. Let’s break it down:

• How Fast It Works: Counting sort takes time based on this formula: $O(n + k)$. Here, $n$ is the number of items you want to sort, and $k$ is how big the numbers are. This means it works really well when the numbers are not too scattered!

• Space It Needs: Counting sort also uses some extra space, about $O(k)$. If $k$ is very large, this could be a problem.

On the other hand, sorting methods that compare numbers, like quicksort or mergesort, usually take more time, about $O(n \log n)$.

So, if you have a small range of whole numbers, counting sort is a great choice!