Lesson 4
String Searching Algorithms in Java
Lesson Overview

Welcome to this insightful lesson. Today's focus will be on string searching algorithms, a fundamental part of programming often encountered in software development, the design of databases, and information retrieval. This lesson will walk you through the intricacies of these algorithms, explaining the principles behind each one.

Quick Example

For instance, consider the KMP string searching algorithm, where the essence of its design is to eliminate the need to backtrack by retaining the information elicited from previous comparisons. If, at some point in the pattern, there's a mismatch, the algorithm does not begin matching the pattern with the text from the start but from a pre-computed point that takes into account all previous comparisons. It's an efficient way to avoid redoing work!

There are many details regarding this algorithm, but here is what its implementation might look like:

Java
1public class KMPAlgorithm {
2    public static int kmpSearch(String text, String pattern) {
3        int[] lps = computeLPSArray(pattern);
4        int i = 0;  // index for text
5        int j = 0;  // index for pattern
6        
7        while (i < text.length()) {
8            if (pattern.charAt(j) == text.charAt(i)) {
9                i++;
10                j++;
11            }
12            if (j == pattern.length()) {
13                return i - j;
14            } else if (i < text.length() && pattern.charAt(j) != text.charAt(i)) {
15                if (j != 0) {
16                    j = lps[j - 1];
17                } else {
18                    i++;
19                }
20            }
21        }
22        return -1;
23    }
24
25    private static int[] computeLPSArray(String pattern) {
26        int length = 0;
27        int i = 1;
28        int[] lps = new int[pattern.length()];
29        lps[0] = 0;
30
31        while (i < pattern.length()) {
32            if (pattern.charAt(i) == pattern.charAt(length)) {
33                length++;
34                lps[i] = length;
35                i++;
36            } else {
37                if (length != 0) {
38                    length = lps[length - 1];
39                } else {
40                    lps[i] = 0;
41                    i++;
42                }
43            }
44        }
45        return lps;
46    }
47
48    public static void main(String[] args) {
49        String text = "abxabcabcaby";
50        String pattern = "abcaby";
51        int result = kmpSearch(text, pattern);
52        System.out.println(result);  // Output: 6
53    }
54}

Feel free to ask questions to clarify the details!

What's Next? Anticipate Some Practice!

Ready? We'll be diving deeper into practice in the next stage. Be prepared to challenge your understanding, tackle problems, and see the beauty of how simple code can solve complex problems. Above all, remember our aim is to foster a holistic understanding over mere memorization. We believe in enhancing your problem-solving skills — paving the way for success in any technical interview or real-world programming situation. Let's get started!

Enjoy this lesson? Now it's time to practice with Cosmo!
Practice is how you turn knowledge into actual skills.