Longest Common Subsequence
Detailed guide and Python implementation for the 'Longest Common Subsequence' problem.
1. Concept Overview
The 'Longest Common Subsequence' 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 Longest Common Subsequence.
4. Prerequisites
5. Step-by-Step Thinking
1. Understand the problem
Read the problem statement for Longest Common Subsequence 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 text1 and text2, return the length of their longest common subsequence. If there is no common subsequence, return 0.
A subsequence of a string is a new string generated from the original string with some characters (can be none) deleted without changing the relative order of the remaining characters. (For example, "ace" is a subsequence of "abcde").
Write a function longestCommonSubsequence(text1: str, text2: str) -> int.
- •1 <= len(text1), len(text2) <= 1000
- •text1 and text2 consist of only lowercase English characters
Examples
text1 = "abcde", text2 = "ace"
3
The longest common subsequence is "ace" and its length is 3.
text1 = "abc", text2 = "abc"
3
The longest common subsequence is "abc" and its length is 3.
text1 = "abc", text2 = "def"
0
There is no common subsequence, so the result is 0.
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 lcs_opt(text1, text2):
dp = [[0 for j in range(len(text2) + 1)] for i in range(len(text1) + 1)]
for i in range(len(text1) - 1, -1, -1):
for j in range(len(text2) - 1, -1, -1):
if text1[i] == text2[j]: dp[i][j] = 1 + dp[i + 1][j + 1]
else: dp[i][j] = max(dp[i + 1][j], dp[i][j + 1])
return dp[0][0]Brute Force Code (Spoiler Guarded)
Brute Force Code (Spoiler Guarded)
def lcs_brute(text1, text2):
def solve(i, j):
if i == len(text1) or j == len(text2): return 0
if text1[i] == text2[j]: return 1 + solve(i + 1, j + 1)
return max(solve(i + 1, j), solve(i, j + 1))
return solve(0, 0)Algorithm Pattern Checklist
When dealing with 2D DP data patterns.
Core Prerequisites
Revision Key Notes
Common Mistakes & Pitfalls
Related Questions
Recommended Python Resources
Expand your knowledge with related interactive tutorials, cheat sheets, and code comparisons.
Python Loops
Learn how to use Python loops to iterate over data. Master for loops, while loops, break, continue, and loop best practices with interactive examples.
How to Sort a List in Python
Learn how to sort a list in Python using the sort() method and the sorted() function. Discover custom key sorting and reverse order examples.
Python String Methods
A complete reference guide for Python string manipulation. Master formatting, searching, splitting, replacing, and checking string properties.
Python vs JavaScript: Which Programming Language is Best?
A comprehensive comparison between Python and JavaScript. Explore syntax differences, performance, use cases (backend vs frontend), and coding examples.