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Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting ›

1. Linear and Sequential Search

1. Linear and sequential search, 20 index slug name 1 linear-search Linear Search 2 sentinel-linear-search Sentinel Linear Search 3 reverse-linear-search Reverse Linear Search 4 bounded-linear-search Bounded Linear Search 5 recursive-linear-search Recursive Linear Search 6 first-occurrence-search First Occurrence Search 7 last-occurrence-search Last Occurrence Search 8 all-occurrences-search All Occurrences Search 9 minimum-search Minimum Search 10 maximum-search Maximum Search 11 min-max-search Min Max Search 12 pairwise-min-max-search Pairwise Min Max Search 13 duplicate-detection-by-scan Duplicate...
algorithms searching linear-search May 6, 2026
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

Reverse Linear Search

Reverse Linear Search Reverse linear search scans the sequence from the end toward the beginning. It is useful when you care about the last occurrence of a value or when recent elements are more likely to match. The algorithm remains simple and requires no preprocessing or additional data structures. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$, find an index $i$ such that $$ A[i] =...
algorithms searching linear-search
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

Sentinel Linear Search

Sentinel Linear Search Sentinel linear search removes the explicit boundary check inside the loop by placing the target value at the end of the array as a sentinel. This reduces one comparison per iteration and improves constant factors while preserving correctness. You use it when you want a tight inner loop and can safely modify the array temporarily. Problem Given an array $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$,...
algorithms searching linear-search sentinel
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

All Occurrences Search

All Occurrences Search All occurrences search returns every index where a target value appears. Unlike first or last occurrence, this algorithm scans the entire sequence and collects all matches. This is useful when duplicates matter and you need complete information rather than a single position. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$, find all indices $i$ such that $$ A[i] = x $$ Return the...
algorithms searching linear-search
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 12. Specialized Search and Sorted-Order Procedures ›

SIMD Linear Search

SIMD Linear Search SIMD linear search is a linear search variant that compares several values at the same time using vector instructions. SIMD means single instruction, multiple data. Instead of comparing one array element per loop iteration, the algorithm loads a block of elements into a vector register and compares all lanes against the target in one operation. The logical algorithm remains linear search. The speedup comes from processing multiple...
algorithms searching linear-search simd vectorization
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

Last Occurrence Search

Last Occurrence Search Last occurrence search finds the largest index where a target value appears. In unsorted data, this is most efficiently done by scanning from right to left and stopping at the first match. This avoids scanning the entire array when matches tend to occur near the end. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$, find the largest index $i$ such that $$ A[i]...
algorithms searching linear-search
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

First Occurrence Search

First Occurrence Search First occurrence search finds the smallest index where a target value appears. In unsorted data, this is naturally obtained by scanning from left to right and stopping at the first match. This operation is fundamental when duplicates exist and you care about stable positions or earliest matches. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$, find the smallest index $i$ such that $$...
algorithms searching linear-search
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

Linear Search

Linear Search Linear search scans a sequence element by element until it finds a match with the target. It works on any data layout, including unsorted arrays, streams, or linked structures. You use it when no ordering or indexing structure exists, or when the dataset is small enough that preprocessing would cost more than scanning. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$ and a value $x$, find an index...
algorithms searching linear-search arrays
Wiki › Algorithms › 01. Searching and Sorting › 1. Linear and Sequential Search ›

Bounded Linear Search

Bounded Linear Search Bounded linear search scans only a specified subrange of a sequence instead of the entire array. This is useful when you already know the region where the target may exist, or when working with segmented data structures. The algorithm preserves the simplicity of linear search while reducing unnecessary comparisons. Problem Given a sequence $A$ of length $n$, a target value $x$, and indices $l$ and $r$ such...
algorithms searching linear-search