A Fast Generic Sequence Matching Algorithm
Abstract
A string matching -- and more generally, sequence matching -- algorithm is presented that has a linear worst-case computing time bound, a low worst-case bound on the number of comparisons (2n), and sublinear average-case behavior that is better than that of the fastest versions of the Boyer-Moore algorithm. The algorithm retains its efficiency advantages in a wide variety of sequence matching problems of practical interest, including traditional string matching; large-alphabet problems (as in Unicode strings); and small-alphabet, long-pattern problems (as in DNA searches). Since it is expressed as a generic algorithm for searching in sequences over an arbitrary type T, it is well suited for use in generic software libraries such as the C++ Standard Template Library. The algorithm was obtained by adding to the Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm one of the pattern-shifting techniques from the Boyer-Moore algorithm, with provision for use of hashing in this technique. In situations in which a hash function or random access to the sequences is not available, the algorithm falls back to an optimized version of the Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0810.0264,
title = {A Fast Generic Sequence Matching Algorithm},
author = {David R. Musser and Gor V. Nishanov},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0810.0264},
year = {2008}
}