I’m actually learning some stuff related to algorithms on sequences. The naive search for a pattern in a long string is of course very slow and comes with a lot of unintelligent compares. The Z-Algorithm improves the searching by preprocessing the pattern.

## Naive searching

A simple search algorithm written in java may look like

This code reliably finds any existence of needle in haystack in $O(m \cdot n)$, with $m=$ length of needle and $n=$ length of haystack. That screams for improvements ;)

## Definitions

The first algorithm that I want to present in this series is called Z-Algorithm. First of all we need some definitions.

Definition 1: In the following we denote $S[i\dots j]$ as the substring of $S$ beginning at position $i$ and ending at position $j$. We can also leave one of the limits clear, so that $S[i\dots]$ is the substring $S[i\dots |S|]$ and $S[\dots j]$ means $S[1\dots j]$.

Definition 2: $Z_i(S) := \max \{p | S[i \dots i+p-1] = S[1 \dots p]\}$ So $Z_i(S)$ is the length of the longest prefix of the suffix $S[i\dots]$ that is also prefix of $S$ itself. To abbreviate $Z_i(S)$ is further on mentioned as $Z_i$.

Definition 3: The set $[i,i+Z_i-1]$ for a $Z_i > 0$ is called Z-Box at position $i$.

Definition 4: $% $ $V_i$ is the set of limits of all Z-Box’es that start at the left-handed side of $i$. Consider $% $.

Definition 5: $% $ If $l_i>0$ and $r_i>0$, $[l_i,r_i]$ defines the rightest Z-Box that starts before respectively at position $i$. Consider $% $.

## Algorithm

In the following $i$ will denote the actual position we are looking for, $l$ and $r$ describe the current respectively last found of a Z-Box. First of all we set the values $l$ and $r$ to zero because we haven’t found any Z-Box yet. $Z_2$ of our text $S$ is according to Definition 2 the length of the longest prefix of $S[2\dots]$ that is also prefix of $S$ itself. If $Z_2>0$ we found a first Z-Box and update the limits to $l=2$ and $r=2+Z_2-1$.

Now we have to run through the word $S$, so $i=3\dots \|S\|$ with $\|S\|$ defines the length of $S$.

Case 1: Let’s assume position $i$ is outside of the last found Z-Box or we didn’t find any Z-Box yet ($i>r$). We find $Z_i$ by comparing the prefixes of $S$ and $S[i\dots]$. If $Z_i>0$ we’ve found a new Z-Box and need to update the limits to $l=i$ and $r=i+Z_i-1$.

Case 2: If the current position $i$ is inside of a current Z-Box ($i\le r$) we try to find the equivalent position at the beginning of $S$. The position we are searching for is $k=i-l+1$ steps off the beginning of $S$ (we are $i-l+1$ steps behind $l$ and $S[l\dots]$ has the same prefix as $S$). Case 2a: If we don’t break out of the current Z-Box by creating another Z-Box with the length of the box at position $k$ ($% $, so position $i+Z_k$ is not behind position $r$), we can simply apply this Z-Box to the current position and $Z_i=Z_k$. Case 2b: Otherwise, if we would leave the actual Z-Box ($i + Z_k>r$) we have to recheck the prefix conditions of $S[i\dots]$ and $S$. We know that $S[i\dots r]$ equals $S[1\dots r-i+1]$, so we only have to find the length of the longest prefix $p$ of $S[r-i+2\dots]$ that equals the prefix of $S[r+1\dots]$. Now we can apply the new Z-Box such that $Z_i=r-i+1+p$ and of course we update the Z-Box limits to $l=i$ and $r=i+Z_i-1$.

If we reached the end of $S$ all Z-Boxes are found in $\Theta(\|S\|)$.

## Example

Let me demonstrate the algorithm with a small example. Let’s take the word $S=aabaaab$. First we start with $l=0$ and $r=0$ at position 2. $Z_2$ is the length of the shared prefix of $S$ ($aabaaab$) and $S[2\dots]$ ($abaaab$). Easy to see the prefix is $a$ with a length of 1. So $Z_2=1$, $l=2$ and $r=2$. At the beginning of our for-loop the program’s status is:

$$T$$ a $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a b a a a b 1 2 1 2 2

At the first round in the loop $i=3$, so $i>r$ because $r=2$. So we meet case 1 and have to find the length of the prefix of $S$ ($aabaaab$) and $S[3\dots]$ ($baaab$). Of course it’s zero, nothing to do.

$$T$$ b $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a a a a a b 1 2 3 1 0 2 2 2 2

Next round, we’re at position 4 and again $i>r$ (case 1). So we have to compare $aabaaab$ and $aaab$. The longest prefix of both words is $aa$ with a length of 2. So we start a new Z-Box at 4 with a size of 2, so $l=4$ and $r=5$.

$$T$$ a $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a a b a a b 1 2 3 4 1 0 2 2 2 4 2 2 5

With $i=5$ and $r=5$ we reach case 2 for the first time. $k=i-l+1=2$ so our similar position at the beginning of $S$ is position 2. $Z_2=1$ and $r-i+1=1$ so we are in case 2b and have to find the shared prefix of $S[2 ..]$ ($abaaab$) and $S[6 ..]$ ($ab$). It’s $ab$, so $p=2$ and $Z_5=r-i+1+p=3$. $l=5$ and $r=7$.

$$T$$ a $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a a b a a b 1 2 3 4 5 1 0 2 3 2 2 4 5 2 2 5 7

Next round brings us $% $, therefor we’re in case 2. Equivalent position is again $k=i-l+1=2$, but now $% $ and we’re in case 2a and can just set $Z_6=1$.

$$T$$ a $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a a b a a b 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 0 2 3 1 2 2 4 5 5 2 2 5 7 7

The last round we have to process is $% $, case 2. Equivalent position is $k=i-l+1=3$ and $% $, so case 2a and $Z_7 = 0$.

 $$T$$ b $$i$$ $$Z_i$$ $$l$$ $$r$$ a a b a a a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 0 2 3 1 0 2 2 4 5 5 5 2 2 5 7 7 7

That’s it. The Z-Box’es we’ve found are visualized in the image.

## Searching

To search for a pattern $P \in A^*$ in a text $T \in A^*$ just calculate the Z-Boxes of $P\T$ with $\\notin A$. These calculations are done in $\Theta(|T|)$. For any $i>|P|$: If $Z_i=|P|$ means $P\T[i\dots i+|P|-1]$ is prefix of $P\T$, so $P$ is found at position $i-(|P|+1)$ in $T$.

## Code

Of course I’m providing an implementation, see attachment.