关键的一步是让合并本身就位。这并不像那些来源说的那么难，但当你尝试的时候，你会失去一些东西。

看看合并的一个步骤:

[…list-sorted…| x列表…| y…发行b…]

我们知道这个排序的序列比其他的都小，x比A中的其他所有的都小，y也比b中的其他所有的都小。在x小于等于y的情况下，你只需要把指针移到A的起始点上。在y小于x的情况下，你必须将y洗牌过整个A来排序。最后一步是代价高昂的原因(退化情况除外)。

它通常更便宜(特别是当数组每个元素实际上只包含单个单词时，例如，一个指向字符串或结构的指针)，用一些空间换取时间，并使用一个单独的临时数组来来回排序。

C语言中无缓冲区归并排序的一个例子。

#define SWAP(type, a, b) \
    do { type t=(a);(a)=(b);(b)=t; } while (0)

static void reverse_(int* a, int* b)
{
    for ( --b; a < b; a++, b-- )
       SWAP(int, *a, *b);
}
static int* rotate_(int* a, int* b, int* c)
/* swap the sequence [a,b) with [b,c). */
{
    if (a != b && b != c)
     {
       reverse_(a, b);
       reverse_(b, c);
       reverse_(a, c);
     }
    return a + (c - b);
}

static int* lower_bound_(int* a, int* b, const int key)
/* find first element not less than @p key in sorted sequence or end of
 * sequence (@p b) if not found. */
{
    int i;
    for ( i = b-a; i != 0; i /= 2 )
     {
       int* mid = a + i/2;
       if (*mid < key)
          a = mid + 1, i--;
     }
    return a;
}
static int* upper_bound_(int* a, int* b, const int key)
/* find first element greater than @p key in sorted sequence or end of
 * sequence (@p b) if not found. */
{
    int i;
    for ( i = b-a; i != 0; i /= 2 )
     {
       int* mid = a + i/2;
       if (*mid <= key)
          a = mid + 1, i--;
     }
    return a;
}

static void ip_merge_(int* a, int* b, int* c)
/* inplace merge. */
{
    int n1 = b - a;
    int n2 = c - b;

    if (n1 == 0 || n2 == 0)
       return;
    if (n1 == 1 && n2 == 1)
     {
       if (*b < *a)
          SWAP(int, *a, *b);
     }
    else
     {
       int* p, * q;

       if (n1 <= n2)
          p = upper_bound_(a, b, *(q = b+n2/2));
       else
          q = lower_bound_(b, c, *(p = a+n1/2));
       b = rotate_(p, b, q);

       ip_merge_(a, p, b);
       ip_merge_(b, q, c);
     }
}

void mergesort(int* v, int n)
{
    if (n > 1)
     {
       int h = n/2;
       mergesort(v, h); mergesort(v+h, n-h);
       ip_merge_(v, v+h, v+n);
     }
}

一个自适应归并排序的例子(优化)。

添加支持代码和修改，以在任何大小的辅助缓冲区可用时加速合并(在没有额外内存的情况下仍然可以工作)。使用前向和后向合并、环旋转、小序列合并和排序以及迭代合并排序。

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

static int* copy_(const int* a, const int* b, int* out)
{
    int count = b - a;
    if (a != out)
       memcpy(out, a, count*sizeof(int));
    return out + count;
}
static int* copy_backward_(const int* a, const int* b, int* out)
{
    int count = b - a;
    if (b != out)
       memmove(out - count, a, count*sizeof(int));
    return out - count;
}

static int* merge_(const int* a1, const int* b1, const int* a2,
  const int* b2, int* out)
{
    while ( a1 != b1 && a2 != b2 )
       *out++ = (*a1 <= *a2) ? *a1++ : *a2++;
    return copy_(a2, b2, copy_(a1, b1, out));
}
static int* merge_backward_(const int* a1, const int* b1,
  const int* a2, const int* b2, int* out)
{
    while ( a1 != b1 && a2 != b2 )
       *--out = (*(b1-1) > *(b2-1)) ? *--b1 : *--b2;
    return copy_backward_(a1, b1, copy_backward_(a2, b2, out));
}

static unsigned int gcd_(unsigned int m, unsigned int n)
{
    while ( n != 0 )
     {
       unsigned int t = m % n;
       m = n;
       n = t;
     }
    return m;
}
static void rotate_inner_(const int length, const int stride,
  int* first, int* last)
{
    int* p, * next = first, x = *first;
    while ( 1 )
     {
       p = next;
       if ((next += stride) >= last)
          next -= length;
       if (next == first)
          break;
       *p = *next;
     }
    *p = x;
}
static int* rotate_(int* a, int* b, int* c)
/* swap the sequence [a,b) with [b,c). */
{
    if (a != b && b != c)
     {
       int n1 = c - a;
       int n2 = b - a;

       int* i = a;
       int* j = a + gcd_(n1, n2);

       for ( ; i != j; i++ )
          rotate_inner_(n1, n2, i, c);
     }
    return a + (c - b);
}

static void ip_merge_small_(int* a, int* b, int* c)
/* inplace merge.
 * @note faster for small sequences. */
{
    while ( a != b && b != c )
       if (*a <= *b)
          a++;
       else
        {
          int* p = b+1;
          while ( p != c && *p < *a )
             p++;
          rotate_(a, b, p);
          b = p;
        }
}
static void ip_merge_(int* a, int* b, int* c, int* t, const int ts)
/* inplace merge.
 * @note works with or without additional memory. */
{
    int n1 = b - a;
    int n2 = c - b;

    if (n1 <= n2 && n1 <= ts)
     {
       merge_(t, copy_(a, b, t), b, c, a);
     }
    else if (n2 <= ts)
     {
       merge_backward_(a, b, t, copy_(b, c, t), c);
     }
    /* merge without buffer. */
    else if (n1 + n2 < 48)
     {
       ip_merge_small_(a, b, c);
     }
    else
     {
       int* p, * q;

       if (n1 <= n2)
          p = upper_bound_(a, b, *(q = b+n2/2));
       else
          q = lower_bound_(b, c, *(p = a+n1/2));
       b = rotate_(p, b, q);

       ip_merge_(a, p, b, t, ts);
       ip_merge_(b, q, c, t, ts);
     }
}
static void ip_merge_chunk_(const int cs, int* a, int* b, int* t,
  const int ts)
{
    int* p = a + cs*2;
    for ( ; p <= b; a = p, p += cs*2 )
       ip_merge_(a, a+cs, p, t, ts);
    if (a+cs < b)
       ip_merge_(a, a+cs, b, t, ts);
}

static void smallsort_(int* a, int* b)
/* insertion sort.
 * @note any stable sort with low setup cost will do. */
{
    int* p, * q;
    for ( p = a+1; p < b; p++ )
     {
       int x = *p;
       for ( q = p; a < q && x < *(q-1); q-- )
          *q = *(q-1);
       *q = x;
     }
}
static void smallsort_chunk_(const int cs, int* a, int* b)
{
    int* p = a + cs;
    for ( ; p <= b; a = p, p += cs )
       smallsort_(a, p);
    smallsort_(a, b);
}

static void mergesort_lower_(int* v, int n, int* t, const int ts)
{
    int cs = 16;
    smallsort_chunk_(cs, v, v+n);
    for ( ; cs < n; cs *= 2 )
       ip_merge_chunk_(cs, v, v+n, t, ts);
}

static void* get_buffer_(int size, int* final)
{
    void* p = NULL;
    while ( size != 0 && (p = malloc(size)) == NULL )
       size /= 2;
    *final = size;
    return p;
}
void mergesort(int* v, int n)
{
    /* @note buffer size may be in the range [0,(n+1)/2]. */
    int request = (n+1)/2 * sizeof(int);
    int actual;
    int* t = (int*) get_buffer_(request, &actual);

    /* @note allocation failure okay. */
    int tsize = actual / sizeof(int);
    mergesort_lower_(v, n, t, tsize);
    free(t);
}

我知道我来晚了，但这是我昨天写的一个解决方案。我也在其他地方发布了这个帖子，但这似乎是SO上最受欢迎的就地合并帖子。我也没有在其他地方看到这个算法，所以希望这能帮助到一些人。

这个算法是最简单的形式，所以它可以被理解。它可以显著地调整以获得额外的速度。平均时间复杂度为:稳定的原地阵列归并为O(n.log₂n)，整体排序为O(n.(log₂n)²)。

//                     Stable Merge In Place Sort
//
//
// The following code is written to illustrate the base algorithm. A good
// number of optimizations can be applied to boost its overall speed
// For all its simplicity, it does still perform somewhat decently.
// Average case time complexity appears to be: O(n.(log₂n)²)

#include <stddef.h>
#include <stdio.h>

#define swap(x, y)    (t=(x), (x)=(y), (y)=t)

// Both sorted sub-arrays must be adjacent in 'a'
// Assumes that both 'an' and 'bn' are always non-zero
// 'an' is the length of the first sorted section in 'a', referred to as A
// 'bn' is the length of the second sorted section in 'a', referred to as B
static void
merge_inplace(int A[], size_t an, size_t bn)
{
    int t, *B = &A[an];
    size_t  pa, pb;     // Swap partition pointers within A and B

    // Find the portion to swap.  We're looking for how much from the
    // start of B can swap with the end of A, such that every element
    // in A is less than or equal to any element in B.  This is quite
    // simple when both sub-arrays come at us pre-sorted
    for(pa = an, pb = 0; pa>0 && pb<bn && B[pb] < A[pa-1]; pa--, pb++);

    // Now swap last part of A with first part of B according to the
    // indicies we found
    for (size_t index=pa; index < an; index++)
        swap(A[index], B[index-pa]);

    // Now merge the two sub-array pairings.  We need to check that either array
    // didn't wholly swap out the other and cause the remaining portion to be zero
    if (pa>0 && (an-pa)>0)
        merge_inplace(A, pa, an-pa);

    if (pb>0 && (bn-pb)>0)
        merge_inplace(B, pb, bn-pb);
} // merge_inplace

// Implements a recursive merge-sort algorithm with an optional
// insertion sort for when the splits get too small.  'n' must
// ALWAYS be 2 or more.  It enforces this when calling itself
static void
merge_sort(int a[], size_t n)
{
    size_t  m = n/2;

    // Sort first and second halves only if the target 'n' will be > 1
    if (m > 1)
        merge_sort(a, m);

    if ((n-m)>1)
        merge_sort(a+m, n-m);

    // Now merge the two sorted sub-arrays together. We know that since
    // n > 1, then both m and n-m MUST be non-zero, and so we will never
    // violate the condition of not passing in zero length sub-arrays
    merge_inplace(a, m, n-m);
} // merge_sort

// Print an array */
static void
print_array(int a[], size_t size)
{
    if (size > 0) {
        printf("%d", a[0]);
        for (size_t i = 1; i < size; i++)
            printf(" %d", a[i]);
    }
    printf("\n");
} // print_array
 
// Test driver
int
main()
{
    int a[] = { 17, 3, 16, 5, 14, 8, 10, 7, 15, 1, 13, 4, 9, 12, 11, 6, 2 };
    size_t  n = sizeof(a) / sizeof(a[0]);
 
    merge_sort(a, n);
 
    print_array(a, n);

    return 0;
} // main

利用c++ std::inplace_merge，就地归并排序可以实现如下:

template< class _Type >
inline void merge_sort_inplace(_Type* src, size_t l, size_t r)
{
    if (r <= l) return;

    size_t m = l + ( r - l ) / 2;             // computes the average without overflow

    merge_sort_inplace(src, l,     m);
    merge_sort_inplace(src, m + 1, r);

    std::inplace_merge(src + l, src + m + 1, src + r + 1);
}

更多的排序算法，包括并行实现，可以在https://github.com/DragonSpit/ParallelAlgorithms repo中找到，它是开源的，是免费的。

I just tried in place merge algorithm for merge sort in JAVA by using the insertion sort algorithm, using following steps. 1) Two sorted arrays are available. 2) Compare the first values of each array; and place the smallest value into the first array. 3) Place the larger value into the second array by using insertion sort (traverse from left to right). 4) Then again compare the second value of first array and first value of second array, and do the same. But when swapping happens there is some clue on skip comparing the further items, but just swapping required.

我在这里做了一些优化;在插入排序中保持较小的比较。我发现这个解决方案的唯一缺点是它需要在第二个数组中更大的数组元素交换。

e.g)

First___Array: 3,7,8,9

第二组:1,2,4,5

然后7,8,9使第二个数组交换(向左移动一个)它的所有元素，每次将自己放在最后一个数组中。

所以这里的假设是交换物品与比较两个物品相比可以忽略不计。

https://github.com/skanagavelu/algorithams/blob/master/src/sorting/MergeSort.java

package sorting;

import java.util.Arrays;

public class MergeSort {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
    int[] array = { 5, 6, 10, 3, 9, 2, 12, 1, 8, 7 };
    mergeSort(array, 0, array.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array));

    int[] array1 = {4, 7, 2};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array1));
    mergeSort(array1, 0, array1.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array1));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int[] array2 = {4, 7, 9};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array2));
    mergeSort(array2, 0, array2.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array2));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int[] array3 = {4, 7, 5};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array3));
    mergeSort(array3, 0, array3.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array3));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int[] array4 = {7, 4, 2};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array4));
    mergeSort(array4, 0, array4.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array4));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int[] array5 = {7, 4, 9};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array5));
    mergeSort(array5, 0, array5.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array5));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int[] array6 = {7, 4, 5};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array6));
    mergeSort(array6, 0, array6.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array6));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    //Handling array of size two
    int[] array7 = {7, 4};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array7));
    mergeSort(array7, 0, array7.length -1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(array7));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    int input1[] = {1};
    int input2[] = {4,2};
    int input3[] = {6,2,9};
    int input4[] = {6,-1,10,4,11,14,19,12,18};
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input1));
    mergeSort(input1, 0, input1.length-1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input1));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input2));
    mergeSort(input2, 0, input2.length-1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input2));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input3));
    mergeSort(input3, 0, input3.length-1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input3));
    System.out.println("\n\n");

    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input4));
    mergeSort(input4, 0, input4.length-1);
    System.out.println(Arrays.toString(input4));
    System.out.println("\n\n");
}

private static void mergeSort(int[] array, int p, int r) {
    //Both below mid finding is fine.
    int mid = (r - p)/2 + p;
    int mid1 = (r + p)/2;
    if(mid != mid1) {
        System.out.println(" Mid is mismatching:" + mid + "/" + mid1+ "  for p:"+p+"  r:"+r);
    }

    if(p < r) {
        mergeSort(array, p, mid);
        mergeSort(array, mid+1, r);
//      merge(array, p, mid, r);
        inPlaceMerge(array, p, mid, r);
        }
    }

//Regular merge
private static void merge(int[] array, int p, int mid, int r) {
    int lengthOfLeftArray = mid - p + 1; // This is important to add +1.
    int lengthOfRightArray = r - mid;

    int[] left = new int[lengthOfLeftArray];
    int[] right = new int[lengthOfRightArray];

    for(int i = p, j = 0; i <= mid; ){
        left[j++] = array[i++];
    }

    for(int i = mid + 1, j = 0; i <= r; ){
        right[j++] = array[i++];
    }

    int i = 0, j = 0;
    for(; i < left.length && j < right.length; ) {
        if(left[i] < right[j]){
            array[p++] = left[i++];
        } else {
            array[p++] = right[j++];
        }
    }
    while(j < right.length){
        array[p++] = right[j++];
    } 
    while(i < left.length){
        array[p++] = left[i++];
    }
}

//InPlaceMerge no extra array
private static void inPlaceMerge(int[] array, int p, int mid, int r) {
    int secondArrayStart = mid+1;
    int prevPlaced = mid+1;
    int q = mid+1;
    while(p < mid+1 && q <= r){
        boolean swapped = false;
        if(array[p] > array[q]) {
            swap(array, p, q);
            swapped = true;
        }   
        if(q != secondArrayStart && array[p] > array[secondArrayStart]) {
            swap(array, p, secondArrayStart);
            swapped = true;
        }
        //Check swapped value is in right place of second sorted array
        if(swapped && secondArrayStart+1 <= r && array[secondArrayStart+1] < array[secondArrayStart]) {
            prevPlaced = placeInOrder(array, secondArrayStart, prevPlaced);
        }
        p++;
        if(q < r) {     //q+1 <= r) {
            q++;
        }
    }
}

private static int placeInOrder(int[] array, int secondArrayStart, int prevPlaced) {
    int i = secondArrayStart;
    for(; i < array.length; i++) {
        //Simply swap till the prevPlaced position
        if(secondArrayStart < prevPlaced) {
            swap(array, secondArrayStart, secondArrayStart+1);
            secondArrayStart++;
            continue;
        }
        if(array[i] < array[secondArrayStart]) {
            swap(array, i, secondArrayStart);
            secondArrayStart++;
        } else if(i != secondArrayStart && array[i] > array[secondArrayStart]){
            break;
        }
    }
    return secondArrayStart;
}

private static void swap(int[] array, int m, int n){
    int temp = array[m];
    array[m] = array[n];
    array[n] = temp;
}
}

包括它的“大结果”，本文描述了就地归并排序的几个变体(PDF):

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.22.5514&rep=rep1&type=pdf

少移动的就地排序

于尔基·卡塔贾宁、托米·

证明了n 元素可以使用O(1)进行排序 额外空间，O(n log n / log log n) 元素移动，nlog2n + O(nlog Log n)比较。这是第一次 需要就地排序算法 O (nlogn)在最坏情况下移动 同时保证O(n log n) 比较，不过由于不变 所涉及的因素是算法 主要是理论兴趣。

我认为这也是相关的。我有一份打印本，是同事传给我的，但我还没读过。它似乎涵盖了基本理论，但我对这个主题不够熟悉，无法判断它有多全面:

http://comjnl.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/38/8/681

最优稳定合并

安东尼奥斯·西姆沃尼斯

本文介绍了如何稳定地进行归并 两个序列A和B，大小为m和 n, m≤n，分别为O(m+n) 作业,O (mlog (n / m + 1)) 比较和只使用一个常数 额外空间的数量。这 结果匹配所有已知的下界…