Linear Search
See it animated in Zerethon Tools ↗Check each element in order until the target is found — O(n), works on unsorted data.
Implementations
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// Linear Search (Zerethon Official Sample: linear-search 1.2.0).
// The algorithm as shown in Zerethon Tools.
public class LinearSearch {
// Returns the index of target, or -1. Works on any (unsorted) array.
static int linearSearch(int[] a, int target) {
for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
if (a[i] == target) return i;
}
return -1;
}
}
// Checks for linearSearch. To run them, set this file as the entry file
// (the ▶ button next to it in Files) and press Run.
public class LinearSearchTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int[] descending = new int[100];
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) descending[i] = 100 - i;
Object[][] cases = {
{new int[] {}, 1, -1},
{new int[] {4}, 4, 0},
{new int[] {4}, 5, -1},
{new int[] {9, 3, 7}, 9, 0},
{new int[] {9, 3, 7}, 7, 2},
{new int[] {5, 1, 5, 1}, 1, 1}, // the first match wins
{descending, 1, 99},
};
for (Object[] c : cases) {
int got = LinearSearch.linearSearch((int[]) c[0], (int) c[1]);
if (got != (int) c[2]) {
System.err.println("linearSearch(..., " + c[1] + ") = " + got + ", expected " + c[2]);
System.exit(1);
}
}
System.out.println("All " + cases.length + " checks passed.");
}
}
import java.util.Arrays;
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
int[] numbers = {38, 27, 43, 3, 9, 82, 10, 27};
System.out.println("List: " + Arrays.toString(numbers));
for (int target : new int[] {43, 27, 38, 5}) {
int index = LinearSearch.linearSearch(numbers, target);
String result = index != -1 ? "found at index " + index : "not found";
System.out.printf("search %2d: %s%n", target, result);
}
}
}
# Linear Search
Zerethon Official Sample `linear-search`, version 1.2.0, Java 25.
- `LinearSearch.java` — the algorithm, as shown in Zerethon Tools
- `Main.java` — entry file: a short demonstration
- `LinearSearchTest.java` — checks; set it as the entry file to run them
Every `.java` file is compiled together before the entry file's class runs.
This project is your own copy. Changing it never changes the official sample.
See the algorithm animated: https://tools.zerethon.com/linear-search-visualizer
Source: Zerethon Official Sample. Algorithm as shown in the Zerethon Tools Linear Search Visualizer.