Suffix array

How it is used

Used in string algorithms, substring search, pattern matching, and bioinformatics. It is often compared with suffix trees for space and implementation trade-offs.

Example sentences

1. For the document indexer, we built a suffix array to speed up repeated substring searches across millions of product descriptions.

   Here the structure supports efficient searching by keeping sorted suffix positions, which helps locate matching text ranges quickly.

2. The algorithm lecture contrasted a suffix array with a suffix tree, noting that the array was simpler to store in our memory-limited prototype.

   In this example, the term refers to a practical text-index structure chosen because it can use memory more simply in that context.

Common collocations

• build a suffix array
• suffix array construction
• suffix array algorithm
• compressed suffix array

Related terms

• algorithmA clear, step-by-step method for solving a problem or doing a task, such as sorting a list or finding the shortest route between two points.
• data structureA way of organizing data in memory, such as an array, list, tree or hash map, so that certain operations are fast and simple.

More terms: Data Structures and Algorithms

• array
• iterate
• hash map
• recursion
• Big O notation
• time complexity
• index
• sort
• stack
• queue
• linked list
• tree