Edit Distance
Detailed guide and Python implementation for the 'Edit Distance' problem.
1. Concept Overview
The 'Edit Distance' problem is a key challenge in the 2D DP section.
This implementation focuses on medium-level logic in Python.
We prioritize technical accuracy and code readability in our provided solutions.
2. Real-World Applications
3. Visual Intuition
Visualizing the logic flow for Edit Distance.
4. Prerequisites
5. Step-by-Step Thinking
1. Understand the problem
Read the problem statement for Edit Distance carefully.
2. Formulate brute force
Draft a simple iterative solution.
3. Identify inefficiency
Look for redundant calculations.
4. Optimize search path
Use hashing or sorting to speed up the process.
5. Final Implementation
Clean up the code for production standards.
Problem Statement
Given two strings word1 and word2, return the minimum number of operations required to convert word1 to word2.
You have the following three operations permitted on a word:
1. Insert a character
2. Delete a character
3. Replace a character
Write a function minDistance(word1: str, word2: str) -> int.
- •0 <= len(word1), len(word2) <= 500
- •word1 and word2 consist of lowercase English letters
Examples
word1 = "horse", word2 = "ros"
3
horse -> rorse (replace 'h' with 'r') -> rose (remove 'r') -> ros (remove 'e').
word1 = "intention", word2 = "execution"
5
intention -> extention -> exention -> exection -> execution. Total 5 operations.
Need a Hint?
Edge Cases to Watch
- Empty input structures
- Single element inputs
- Large numerical bounds
Ready to Solve?
Open the problem in PyRun's browser-based Python editor. Your code runs fully offline — no server required.
Interview Insights & Variations
Complexity Analysis Breakdown
Why Time: Directly evaluates all possibilities.
Why Space: Uses standard local memory.
Why Time: Optimized paths reduce total operations.
Why Space: May trade memory for speed.
Optimized Solution Python Code
Optimized Solution Python Code
def min_distance_opt(word1, word2):
dp = [[float("inf")] * (len(word2) + 1) for i in range(len(word1) + 1)]
for j in range(len(word2) + 1): dp[len(word1)][j] = len(word2) - j
for i in range(len(word1) + 1): dp[i][len(word2)] = len(word1) - i
for i in range(len(word1) - 1, -1, -1):
for j in range(len(word2) - 1, -1, -1):
if word1[i] == word2[j]: dp[i][j] = dp[i + 1][j + 1]
else: dp[i][j] = 1 + min(dp[i + 1][j], dp[i][j + 1], dp[i + 1][j + 1])
return dp[0][0]Brute Force Code (Spoiler Guarded)
Brute Force Code (Spoiler Guarded)
def min_distance_brute(word1, word2):
def solve(i, j):
if i == len(word1): return len(word2) - j
if j == len(word2): return len(word1) - i
if word1[i] == word2[j]: return solve(i + 1, j + 1)
return 1 + min(solve(i+1,j), solve(i,j+1), solve(i+1,j+1))
return solve(0, 0)Algorithm Pattern Checklist
When dealing with 2D DP data patterns.
Core Prerequisites
Revision Key Notes
Common Mistakes & Pitfalls
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