LevensteinDistance.java

package helpers;

import java.util.Collection;

public class LevensteinDistance {

	private static int minimum(int a, int b, int c) {
		return Math.min(Math.min(a, b), c);
	}

	public static int computeLevenshteinDistance(CharSequence str1,
			CharSequence str2) {
		int[][] distance = new int[str1.length() + 1][str2.length() + 1];

		for (int i = 0; i <= str1.length(); i++)
			distance[i][0] = i;
		for (int j = 0; j <= str2.length(); j++)
			distance[0][j] = j;

		for (int i = 1; i <= str1.length(); i++)
			for (int j = 1; j <= str2.length(); j++)
				distance[i][j] = minimum(
						distance[i - 1][j] + 1,
						distance[i][j - 1] + 1,
						distance[i - 1][j - 1]
								+ ((str1.charAt(i - 1) == str2.charAt(j - 1)) ? 0
										: 1));

		return distance[str1.length()][str2.length()];
	}
	
	public static <K extends CharSequence> K  getClosest(Collection<K> strings,CharSequence closestTo) {
		int minDistance= Integer.MAX_VALUE;
		K closest = null;
		for (K s:strings) {
			int currentDistance =  computeLevenshteinDistance(s, closestTo);
			System.out.println(s+" distance: "+currentDistance);
			if (currentDistance < minDistance) {
				closest = s;
				minDistance = currentDistance;
			}
		}
		
		return closest;
	}

}