Quick sort is a highly efficient sorting algorithm that partitions an array into two arrays, one with values less than a specified pivot value and one with values greater than the pivot. It then calls itself recursively to sort the subarrays. The algorithm's average and worst-case complexity is O(n log n). It works by choosing a pivot element, partitioning the array around the pivot so that all elements with values less than the pivot come before elements with greater values, and then applying the same approach recursively to the subarrays until the entire array is sorted.