Linear search

As explained in Grokking Simplicity

A search algorithm that examines elements sequentially until a matching element is found or the collection is exhausted.

function remove_item_by_name(cart, name) {
    var idx = indexOfItem(cart, name);
 
    if(idx !== null)
        return removeItems(cart, idx, 1);
    return cart;
}
 
function indexOfItem(cart, name) {
    for(var i = 0; i < cart.length; i++) {
      if(cart[i].name === name)
        return i; #1
    }
    return null;
}

How Grokking Simplicity covers it

How deep it goes

Works through extraction, return values, layer structure, and reuse, then defers a more general loop version.

Examples

Uses shopping-cart lookup, item removal, membership testing, and price updates as concrete search clients.

What it assumes

Assumes familiarity with arrays, for loops, object properties, and indexing while making their relationship explicit.

What you can do after

Apply it via a reusable indexOfItem() function that returns an index or null for cart-based operations.

How it connects

Connects linear search with arrays, data structures, abstraction, code reuse, and stratified design.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Grokking Data StructuresLinear search examines the elements of a sequence one by one, typically from one end to the other, until the target is found or the sequence is exhausted.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Classic Computer Science Problems in Swift: Essential techniques for practicing programmersA linear search examines elements sequentially in their data-structure order until it finds the sought value or reaches the end.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  Clojure: The Essential ReferenceA linear search examines collection elements sequentially until a matching element is found or the collection is exhausted.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  LatencyLinear search is a search algorithm that examines elements sequentially until it finds a target or reaches the end of a collection.

Compare how 5 books explain linear search →

Related concepts

• binary searchcontrasts with · Binary search is an algorithm that locates a target or boundary in an ordered collection by repeatedly comparing with a midpoint and halving the remaining search range.
• linear time complexitymeasured by · Linear time complexity is an asymptotic running-time growth rate proportional to input size, or to the combined sizes of multiple inputs, up to a constant factor.
• findimplemented by · A find operation searches a collection for the first element or entry matching a value or predicate and returns it, or indicates that no match exists.
• containsimplemented by · Contains is a membership-query operation that reports whether a specified value, key, element, or substring occurs in a container or collection.
• k-d treecontrasts with · A k-d tree is a binary space-partitioning tree that organizes points in multidimensional space by recursively comparing coordinate dimensions.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Grokking Simplicity. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.