Greedy algorithm is an algorithmic paradigm that makes the locally optimal choice at each stage with the hope of finding a global optimum. It's like the software engineering equivalent of always taking the biggest slice of pizza at the company hackathon and hoping it leads to the best overall meal.

How to use it in a sentence

• "I tried using a greedy algorithm to optimize my Tinder swipes, but I still ended up with a bunch of mismatches and no dates to the tech conference afterparty."

• "The new intern thought he could impress the team by using a greedy algorithm for the resource allocation problem, but he ended up hogging all the CPU cycles and crashing the production server."

If you actually want to learn more...

• Tom Cunningham dives into the challenges of tuning recommendation algorithms and emphasizes the importance of simplicity in optimization projects to avoid common pitfalls. Read more

• Paul Graham provides an extensive list of resources for those interested in Lisp programming and artificial intelligence, including guides, manuals, and reference documents from reputable sources. Check it out

• In "Revenge of the Nerds," Paul Graham critiques risk-averse corporate management and argues that leveraging powerful programming languages and taking calculated risks can lead to superior results in the software industry. Learn more

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