Searching algorithms are designed to find an element in a data structure such as an array, list, or map. In Java, searching refers to the process of locating an element in a data structure. There are two main categories of search algorithms: linear search and binary search. Linear search is a fundamental algorithm that iterates through a list of elements one by one, comparing each element to the target value. If the target value is found, the search stops and returns the index of the element, otherwise, it continues until the end of the list is reached. Linear search is useful in scenarios such as small data sets, unsorted data, simple implementation, iterative nature, real-time applications, and limited memory. It can be implemented using a loop, making it easy to understand and debug. The algorithm can be implemented using a while loop or recursively, with the recursive approach using a function to call itself until the target value is found. The choice between using return or break in the implementation depends on whether to exit the entire method or just the loop. Overall, linear search is a simple and efficient algorithm for finding an element in a data structure, especially in certain scenarios where other algorithms may not be suitable.
dev.to
dev.to
