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Fuzzy Search

fuzzySearch()​

Performs a fuzzy search by matching characters in sequence against array elements.

Signature​

fuzzySearch(
  array: T[],
  matcher: string,
  keySelector: (item: T) => string | number,
  caseInsensitive: boolean
): T | undefined

Description​

The fuzzySearch method implements a flexible pattern matching algorithm that:

  • Finds items where the search characters appear in order (but not necessarily consecutively)
  • Supports both string and numeric property values
  • Provides case sensitivity control
  • Returns the first matching item found

Parameters​

NameTypeDescription
arrayT[]The collection to search
matcherstringThe sequence to search for (e.g. "cmn" matches "California")
keySelector(item: T) => string | numberValue extractor function
caseInsensitivebooleanWhether to ignore character case

Examples​

Basic Usage​

const products = [
  { id: 1, name: "Smartphone" },
  { id: 2, name: "Camera" },
  { id: 3, name: "Laptop" }
];

const finder = new Finder(products);
const result = finder.fuzzySearch(
  products,
  "smph",
  item => item.name,
  true
);
// Returns Smartphone item

With Numeric Values​

const inventory = [
  { sku: "A100", stock: 15 },
  { sku: "B200", stock: 8 }
];

const finder = new Finder(inventory);
finder.fuzzySearch(
  inventory,
  "15",
  item => item.stock,
  false
);
// Returns { sku: "A100", stock: 15 }

Performance Characteristics​

  • Time Complexity: O(n) where n is array length
  • Best For: Small to medium datasets (less than 1000 items)
  • Cache Note: Results are not cached automatically

Use Cases​

  1. Implementing type-ahead search suggestions
  2. Finding approximate matches in user-generated content
  3. Handling potential typos in search queries
  4. Creating flexible filtering interfaces

See Also​