File Coverage

blib/lib/List/Search.pm

Criterion	Covered	Total	%
statement	42	42	100.0
branch	12	12	100.0
condition			n/a
subroutine	12	12	100.0
pod	6	6	100.0
total	72	72	100.0

use 5.006;
use strict;
use warnings;

package List::Search;

our $VERSION = '0.3_1';
$VERSION = eval $VERSION;

use Exporter ();
our (@ISA, @EXPORT_OK);
@ISA       = qw(Exporter);
@EXPORT_OK = qw(
  list_search   nlist_search   custom_list_search
  list_contains nlist_contains custom_list_contains
);

=head1 NAME

List::Search - fast searching of sorted lists

=head1 SYNOPSIS

    use List::Search qw( list_search nlist_search custom_list_search );

    # Create a list to search
    my @list = sort qw( bravo charlie delta );

    # Search for a value, returns the index of first match
    print list_search( 'alpha',   \@list );    #  0
    print list_search( 'charlie', \@list );    #  1
    print list_search( 'zebra',   \@list );    #  -1

    # Search numerically
    my @numbers = sort { $a <=> $b } ( 10, 20, 100, 200, );
    print nlist_search( 20, \@numbers );       #  1

    # Search using some other comparison
    my $cmp_code = sub { lc( $_[0] ) cmp lc( $_[1] ) };
    my @custom_list = sort { $cmp_code->( $a, $b ) }
          qw( FOO bar BAZ bundy );        # bar < BAZ < bundy < FOO
    print custom_list_search( $cmp_code, 'foo', \@custom_list );  # 3

=head1 DESCRIPTION

This module lets you quickly search a sorted list. It will return the index of
the first entry that matches, or if there is no exact matches then the first
entry that is greater than the search key.

For example in the list C searching for
C will return C<1> as C<$list[1] eq 'dave'>. Searching for C
will also return C<1> as C is the first entry that is greater than
C.

If none of the entries match then C<-1> is returned. You can either
check for this or use it as an index to get the last values in the list.
Whichever approach you choose will depend on what you are trying to do.

The actual searching is done using a binary search which is very fast.

=head1 METHODS

=head2 list_search

  my $idx = list_search( $key, \@sorted_list );

Searches the list using C as the comparison operator. Returns the index
of the first entry that is equal to or greater than C<$key>. If there is no
match then returns C<-1>.

=cut

sub list_search {
    my ( $key, $array_ref ) = @_;
    return custom_list_search( \&_alpha_sort, $key, $array_ref );
}

=head2 nlist_search

  my $idx = nlist_search( $key, \@sorted_list );

Searches the list using C=E> as the comparison operator. Returns the
index of the first entry that is equal to or greater than C<$key>. If there is
no match then returns C<-1>.

=cut

sub nlist_search {
    my ( $key, $array_ref ) = @_;
    return custom_list_search( \&_numeric_sort, $key, $array_ref );
}

=head2 custom_list_search

  my $cmp_sub = sub { $_[0] cmp $_[1] };
  my $idx = custom_list_search( $cmp_sub, $key, \@sorted_list );

Searches the list using the subroutine to compare the values. Returns the
index of the first entry that is equal to or greater than C<$key>. If there is
no match then returns C<-1>.

NOTE - the list must have been sorted using the same comparison, ie:

  my @sorted_list = sort { $cmp_sub->( $a, $b ) } @list;

=cut

sub custom_list_search {
    my ( $cmp_code, $key, $array_ref ) = @_;

    my $max_index = scalar(@$array_ref) - 1;
    return -1 if $max_index < 0;

    # Early return if there are no matches in the array
    return -1 if $cmp_code->( $key, $array_ref->[-1] ) > 0;

    my $low  = 0;
    my $mid  = undef;
    my $high = $max_index;

    while ( $low <= $high ) {
        $mid = int( $low + ( ( $high - $low ) / 2 ) );
        my $mid_val = $array_ref->[$mid];

        my $cmp_result = $cmp_code->( $key, $mid_val );

        if ( $cmp_result > 0 ) {
            $low = $mid + 1;
        }
        else {
            $high = $mid - 1;
        }
    }

    # Look at the values here and work out what to return.

    # Perhaps $mid is just before the best match
    return $mid + 1 if $cmp_code->( $key, $array_ref->[$mid] ) > 0;

    # $mid is correct
    return $mid;
}

=head2 list_contains, nlist_contains, custom_list_contains

    my $bool =  list_contains( $key, \@sorted_list );   # string sort
    my $bool = nlist_contains( $key, \@sorted_list );   # number sort

    my $bool = custom_list_contains( $cmp_sub_ref, $key, \@sorted_list );

Returns true if C<$key> was found in the list, false otherwise.

=cut

sub list_contains {
    my ( $key, $array_ref ) = @_;
    return custom_list_contains( \&_alpha_sort, $key, $array_ref );
}

sub nlist_contains {
    my ( $key, $array_ref ) = @_;
    return custom_list_contains( \&_numeric_sort, $key, $array_ref );
}

sub custom_list_contains {
    my ( $code, $key, $array_ref ) = @_;

    # Get the index of the key
    my $idx = custom_list_search( $code, $key, $array_ref );
    return 0 if $idx == -1;

    # Compare the key to the index
    my $cmp_result = $code->( $key, $array_ref->[$idx] );

    return $cmp_result == 0    # is there a difference?
      ? 1                      # there was no difference, so $key is in array
      : 0;                     # $key is not in array
}

sub _alpha_sort   { $_[0] cmp $_[1]; }
sub _numeric_sort { $_[0] <=> $_[1]; }

=head1 AUTHOR

Edmund von der Burg C<>

L

=head1 SEE ALSO

For fast sorting of lists try L. For matching on not just the start
of the item try L. For matching in an unsorted
list try L.

=head1 CREDITS

Sean Woolcock submitted several bug fixes which were included in 0.3

=head1 LINKS

Starting May 2026, the source code repository of List::Search
lives on L.

To report bugs, use Codeberg's built-in issue tracker
at L.
Alternatively, use RT at
L
or by emailing L.

There is an information page regarding List::Search at
L.

=head1 COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2007 Edmund von der Burg. All rights reserved.

This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
the same terms as Perl itself. If it breaks you get to keep both pieces.

THERE IS NO WARRANTY.

=cut

1;