Best match algorithms find the closest match by discovering and double-checking items, while greedy matching does not reconsider matches found. Optimal matching takes longer but analyzes matches carefully. Best matching is used in search engines, databases, and operating systems with customizable algorithms for accurate results.
Best match is an algorithm used in many programs to help people find the closest match. With best match, the search will first discover things that somehow match the search term; then it will double-check the found items for optimal matches. In contrast to this is greedy matching, which does not reconsider matches found. It is used in many programs and can help people find documents, websites, program functions and many other things. There are many best matching algorithms, and each one is crafted to serve a certain purpose.
An optimal matching algorithm often takes longer to run than other matching algorithms, because it does so much more when used. It first examines the search term you entered and finds any matches that closely resemble that term. The algorithm will then look at these matches and analyze them carefully to see if any of them really match. Any elements that survive this second cut are then shown to the user.
The opposite of optimal matching is greedy matching. With this matching scheme, the user is still able to enter a search term, after which the matching algorithm goes to work looking at all similar files and documents. The difference is that the greedy algorithm does not go through a reconsideration stage, so all found documents are immediately displayed to the user. This algorithm typically works faster and tends to be better on smaller systems where it may not need to be reconsidered, or when the user wants a result that shows every single matching item.
There are many uses for optimal matching, and as a result, the algorithm is added to many different types of programs. This is commonly seen with many search engines, within databases and core programs, and in entire operating systems. It can also be programmed into custom software if the programmer wishes to use the optimal matching scheme.
Although the best matching algorithm always follows the same path of finding items before reducing them to the most relevant items, there are many separate algorithms available to programmers. Each algorithm tells the matching function what to look for when reconsidering the found items. By properly creating and customizing the matching algorithm, programmers are best able to get the most accurate results. For example, a search engine is generally optimized for finding keywords or phrases, while a database may be optimized for finding records and tables.
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