Final answer:
When implementing quicksort, using an array-based list is generally more efficient due to random access capabilities and better cache locality, which simplify the partitioning step and improve performance. In contrast, linked-lists can make quicksort more complex and less efficient due to the necessity for pointer updating and lack of cache locality.
Step-by-step explanation:
When implementing quicksort, the data structure you choose can significantly affect the performance and implementation complexity of the algorithm. Quicksort is a divide-and-conquer algorithm that works by selecting a 'pivot' element from the array and partitioning the other elements into two sub-arrays, according to whether they are less than or greater than the pivot.
Using an array-based list is generally more straightforward with quicksort because arrays allow random access to their elements, which is beneficial for the algorithm's partitioning step. This means you can efficiently access and swap elements around the pivot. Moreover, arrays have better cache locality, which can lead to significant performance improvements especially on large data sets.
On the other hand, if you use a linked-list, quicksort can become more complex and less efficient. Linked-lists do not allow random access to elements, which means that in order to move elements around during partitioning, you typically have to do a lot more pointer updating, which can be slower than operating on arrays. Additionally, the lack of cache locality in linked-lists can lead to worse performance.