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# Suffix Array | Set 2 (nLogn Algorithm)

• Difficulty Level : Hard
• Last Updated : 25 Sep, 2021

A suffix array is a sorted array of all suffixes of a given string. The definition is similar to Suffix Tree which is compressed trie of all suffixes of the given text.

```Let the given string be "banana".

0 banana                          5 a
1 anana     Sort the Suffixes     3 ana
2 nana      ---------------->     1 anana
3 ana        alphabetically       0 banana
4 na                              4 na
5 a                               2 nana

The suffix array for "banana" is {5, 3, 1, 0, 4, 2}```

We have discussed Naive algorithm for construction of suffix array. The Naive algorithm is to consider all suffixes, sort them using a O(nLogn) sorting algorithm and while sorting, maintain original indexes. Time complexity of the Naive algorithm is O(n2Logn) where n is the number of characters in the input string.

In this post, a O(nLogn) algorithm for suffix array construction is discussed. Let us first discuss a O(n * Logn * Logn) algorithm for simplicity. The idea is to use the fact that strings that are to be sorted are suffixes of a single string.
We first sort all suffixes according to first character, then according to first 2 characters, then first 4 characters and so on while the number of characters to be considered is smaller than 2n. The important point is, if we have sorted suffixes according to first 2i characters, then we can sort suffixes according to first 2i+1 characters in O(nLogn) time using a nLogn sorting algorithm like Merge Sort. This is possible as two suffixes can be compared in O(1) time (we need to compare only two values, see the below example and code).

The sort function is called O(Logn) times (Note that we increase number of characters to be considered in powers of 2). Therefore overall time complexity becomes O(nLognLogn). See http://www.stanford.edu/class/cs97si/suffix-array.pdf for more details.

Let us build suffix array the example string “banana” using above algorithm.

Sort according to first two characters Assign a rank to all suffixes using ASCII value of first character. A simple way to assign rank is to do “str[i] – ‘a'” for ith suffix of strp[]

```Index     Suffix            Rank
0        banana             1
1        anana              0
2        nana               13
3        ana                0
4        na                 13
5        a                  0```

For every character, we also store rank of next adjacent character, i.e., the rank of character at str[i + 1] (This is needed to sort the suffixes according to first 2 characters). If a character is last character, we store next rank as -1

```Index    Suffix            Rank          Next Rank
0       banana             1              0
1       anana              0              13
2       nana               13             0
3       ana                0              13
4       na                 13             0
5       a                  0             -1```

Sort all Suffixes according to rank and adjacent rank. Rank is considered as first digit or MSD, and adjacent rank is considered as second digit.

```Index    Suffix            Rank          Next Rank
5        a                  0              -1
1        anana              0               13
3        ana                0               13
0        banana             1               0
2        nana               13              0
4        na                 13              0```

Sort according to first four character
Assign new ranks to all suffixes. To assign new ranks, we consider the sorted suffixes one by one. Assign 0 as new rank to first suffix. For assigning ranks to remaining suffixes, we consider rank pair of suffix just before the current suffix. If previous rank pair of a suffix is same as previous rank of suffix just before it, then assign it same rank. Otherwise assign rank of previous suffix plus one.

```Index       Suffix          Rank
5          a               0     [Assign 0 to first]
1          anana           1     (0, 13) is different from previous
3          ana             1     (0, 13) is same as previous
0          banana          2     (1, 0) is different from previous
2          nana            3     (13, 0) is different from previous
4          na              3     (13, 0) is same as previous```

For every suffix str[i], also store rank of next suffix at str[i + 2]. If there is no next suffix at i + 2, we store next rank as -1

```Index       Suffix          Rank        Next Rank
5          a               0             -1
1          anana           1              1
3          ana             1              0
0          banana          2              3
2          nana            3              3
4          na              3              -1```

Sort all Suffixes according to rank and next rank.

```Index       Suffix          Rank        Next Rank
5          a               0             -1
3          ana             1              0
1          anana           1              1
0          banana          2              3
4          na              3             -1
2          nana            3              3```

## C++

 `// C++ program for building suffix array of a given text``#include ``#include ``#include ``using` `namespace` `std;` `// Structure to store information of a suffix``struct` `suffix``{``    ``int` `index; ``// To store original index``    ``int` `rank[2]; ``// To store ranks and next rank pair``};` `// A comparison function used by sort() to compare two suffixes``// Compares two pairs, returns 1 if first pair is smaller``int` `cmp(``struct` `suffix a, ``struct` `suffix b)``{``    ``return` `(a.rank[0] == b.rank[0])? (a.rank[1] < b.rank[1] ?1: 0):``               ``(a.rank[0] < b.rank[0] ?1: 0);``}` `// This is the main function that takes a string 'txt' of size n as an``// argument, builds and return the suffix array for the given string``int` `*buildSuffixArray(``char` `*txt, ``int` `n)``{``    ``// A structure to store suffixes and their indexes``    ``struct` `suffix suffixes[n];` `    ``// Store suffixes and their indexes in an array of structures.``    ``// The structure is needed to sort the suffixes alphabetically``    ``// and maintain their old indexes while sorting``    ``for` `(``int` `i = 0; i < n; i++)``    ``{``        ``suffixes[i].index = i;``        ``suffixes[i].rank[0] = txt[i] - ``'a'``;``        ``suffixes[i].rank[1] = ((i+1) < n)? (txt[i + 1] - ``'a'``): -1;``    ``}` `    ``// Sort the suffixes using the comparison function``    ``// defined above.``    ``sort(suffixes, suffixes+n, cmp);` `    ``// At this point, all suffixes are sorted according to first``    ``// 2 characters.  Let us sort suffixes according to first 4``    ``// characters, then first 8 and so on``    ``int` `ind[n];  ``// This array is needed to get the index in suffixes[]``                 ``// from original index.  This mapping is needed to get``                 ``// next suffix.``    ``for` `(``int` `k = 4; k < 2*n; k = k*2)``    ``{``        ``// Assigning rank and index values to first suffix``        ``int` `rank = 0;``        ``int` `prev_rank = suffixes[0].rank[0];``        ``suffixes[0].rank[0] = rank;``        ``ind[suffixes[0].index] = 0;` `        ``// Assigning rank to suffixes``        ``for` `(``int` `i = 1; i < n; i++)``        ``{``            ``// If first rank and next ranks are same as that of previous``            ``// suffix in array, assign the same new rank to this suffix``            ``if` `(suffixes[i].rank[0] == prev_rank &&``                    ``suffixes[i].rank[1] == suffixes[i-1].rank[1])``            ``{``                ``prev_rank = suffixes[i].rank[0];``                ``suffixes[i].rank[0] = rank;``            ``}``            ``else` `// Otherwise increment rank and assign``            ``{``                ``prev_rank = suffixes[i].rank[0];``                ``suffixes[i].rank[0] = ++rank;``            ``}``            ``ind[suffixes[i].index] = i;``        ``}` `        ``// Assign next rank to every suffix``        ``for` `(``int` `i = 0; i < n; i++)``        ``{``            ``int` `nextindex = suffixes[i].index + k/2;``            ``suffixes[i].rank[1] = (nextindex < n)?``                                  ``suffixes[ind[nextindex]].rank[0]: -1;``        ``}` `        ``// Sort the suffixes according to first k characters``        ``sort(suffixes, suffixes+n, cmp);``    ``}` `    ``// Store indexes of all sorted suffixes in the suffix array``    ``int` `*suffixArr = ``new` `int``[n];``    ``for` `(``int` `i = 0; i < n; i++)``        ``suffixArr[i] = suffixes[i].index;` `    ``// Return the suffix array``    ``return`  `suffixArr;``}` `// A utility function to print an array of given size``void` `printArr(``int` `arr[], ``int` `n)``{``    ``for` `(``int` `i = 0; i < n; i++)``        ``cout << arr[i] << ``" "``;``    ``cout << endl;``}` `// Driver program to test above functions``int` `main()``{``    ``char` `txt[] = ``"banana"``;``    ``int` `n = ``strlen``(txt);``    ``int` `*suffixArr = buildSuffixArray(txt,  n);``    ``cout << ``"Following is suffix array for "` `<< txt << endl;``    ``printArr(suffixArr, n);``    ``return` `0;``}`

## Java

 `// Java program for building suffix array of a given text``import` `java.util.*;``class` `GFG``{``    ``// Class to store information of a suffix``    ``public` `static` `class` `Suffix ``implements` `Comparable``    ``{``        ``int` `index;``        ``int` `rank;``        ``int` `next;` `        ``public` `Suffix(``int` `ind, ``int` `r, ``int` `nr)``        ``{``            ``index = ind;``            ``rank = r;``            ``next = nr;``        ``}``        ` `        ``// A comparison function used by sort()``        ``// to compare two suffixes.``        ``// Compares two pairs, returns 1``        ``// if first pair is smaller``        ``public` `int` `compareTo(Suffix s)``        ``{``            ``if` `(rank != s.rank) ``return` `Integer.compare(rank, s.rank);``            ``return` `Integer.compare(next, s.next);``        ``}``    ``}``    ` `    ``// This is the main function that takes a string 'txt'``    ``// of size n as an argument, builds and return the``    ``// suffix array for the given string``    ``public` `static` `int``[] suffixArray(String s)``    ``{``        ``int` `n = s.length();``        ``Suffix[] su = ``new` `Suffix[n];``        ` `        ``// Store suffixes and their indexes in``        ``// an array of classes. The class is needed``        ``// to sort the suffixes alphabetically and``        ``// maintain their old indexes while sorting``        ``for` `(``int` `i = ``0``; i < n; i++)``        ``{``            ``su[i] = ``new` `Suffix(i, s.charAt(i) - ``'\$'``, ``0``);``        ``}``        ``for` `(``int` `i = ``0``; i < n; i++)``            ``su[i].next = (i + ``1` `< n ? su[i + ``1``].rank : -``1``);` `        ``// Sort the suffixes using the comparison function``        ``// defined above.``        ``Arrays.sort(su);` `        ``// At this point, all suffixes are sorted``        ``// according to first 2 characters.``        ``// Let us sort suffixes according to first 4``        ``// characters, then first 8 and so on``        ``int``[] ind = ``new` `int``[n];``        ` `        ``// This array is needed to get the index in suffixes[]``        ``// from original index. This mapping is needed to get``        ``// next suffix.``        ``for` `(``int` `length = ``4``; length < ``2` `* n; length <<= ``1``)``        ``{``            ` `            ``// Assigning rank and index values to first suffix``            ``int` `rank = ``0``, prev = su[``0``].rank;``            ``su[``0``].rank = rank;``            ``ind[su[``0``].index] = ``0``;``            ``for` `(``int` `i = ``1``; i < n; i++)``            ``{``                ``// If first rank and next ranks are same as``                ``// that of previous suffix in array,``                ``// assign the same new rank to this suffix``                ``if` `(su[i].rank == prev &&``                    ``su[i].next == su[i - ``1``].next)``                ``{``                    ``prev = su[i].rank;``                    ``su[i].rank = rank;``                ``}``                ``else``                ``{``                    ``// Otherwise increment rank and assign``                    ``prev = su[i].rank;``                    ``su[i].rank = ++rank;``                ``}``                ``ind[su[i].index] = i;``            ``}``            ` `            ``// Assign next rank to every suffix``            ``for` `(``int` `i = ``0``; i < n; i++)``            ``{``                ``int` `nextP = su[i].index + length / ``2``;``                ``su[i].next = nextP < n ?``                   ``su[ind[nextP]].rank : -``1``;``            ``}``            ` `            ``// Sort the suffixes according``            ``// to first k characters``            ``Arrays.sort(su);``        ``}` `        ``// Store indexes of all sorted``        ``// suffixes in the suffix array``        ``int``[] suf = ``new` `int``[n];``        ` `        ``for` `(``int` `i = ``0``; i < n; i++)``            ``suf[i] = su[i].index;` `        ``// Return the suffix array``        ``return` `suf;``    ``}   ``    ` `    ``static` `void` `printArr(``int` `arr[], ``int` `n)``    ``{``        ``for` `(``int` `i = ``0``; i < n; i++)``            ``System.out.print(arr[i] + ``" "``);``        ``System.out.println();``    ``}``    ` `    ``// Driver Code``    ``public` `static` `void` `main(String[] args)``    ``{``        ``String txt = ``"banana"``;``        ``int` `n = txt.length();``        ``int``[] suff_arr = suffixArray(txt);``        ``System.out.println(``"Following is suffix array for banana:"``);``        ``printArr(suff_arr, n);``    ``}``}` `// This code is contributed by AmanKumarSingh`

## Python3

 `# Python3 program for building suffix``# array of a given text` `# Class to store information of a suffix``class` `suffix:``    ` `    ``def` `__init__(``self``):``        ` `        ``self``.index ``=` `0``        ``self``.rank ``=` `[``0``, ``0``]` `# This is the main function that takes a``# string 'txt' of size n as an argument,``# builds and return the suffix array for``# the given string``def` `buildSuffixArray(txt, n):``    ` `    ``# A structure to store suffixes``    ``# and their indexes``    ``suffixes ``=` `[suffix() ``for` `_ ``in` `range``(n)]` `    ``# Store suffixes and their indexes in``    ``# an array of structures. The structure``    ``# is needed to sort the suffixes alphabetically``    ``# and maintain their old indexes while sorting``    ``for` `i ``in` `range``(n):``        ``suffixes[i].index ``=` `i``        ``suffixes[i].rank[``0``] ``=` `(``ord``(txt[i]) ``-``                               ``ord``(``"a"``))``        ``suffixes[i].rank[``1``] ``=` `(``ord``(txt[i ``+` `1``]) ``-``                        ``ord``(``"a"``)) ``if` `((i ``+` `1``) < n) ``else` `-``1` `    ``# Sort the suffixes according to the rank``    ``# and next rank``    ``suffixes ``=` `sorted``(``        ``suffixes, key ``=` `lambda` `x: (``            ``x.rank[``0``], x.rank[``1``]))` `    ``# At this point, all suffixes are sorted``    ``# according to first 2 characters.  Let``    ``# us sort suffixes according to first 4``    ``# characters, then first 8 and so on``    ``ind ``=` `[``0``] ``*` `n  ``# This array is needed to get the``                   ``# index in suffixes[] from original``                   ``# index.This mapping is needed to get``                   ``# next suffix.``    ``k ``=` `4``    ``while` `(k < ``2` `*` `n):``        ` `        ``# Assigning rank and index``        ``# values to first suffix``        ``rank ``=` `0``        ``prev_rank ``=` `suffixes[``0``].rank[``0``]``        ``suffixes[``0``].rank[``0``] ``=` `rank``        ``ind[suffixes[``0``].index] ``=` `0` `        ``# Assigning rank to suffixes``        ``for` `i ``in` `range``(``1``, n):``            ` `            ``# If first rank and next ranks are``            ``# same as that of previous suffix in``            ``# array, assign the same new rank to``            ``# this suffix``            ``if` `(suffixes[i].rank[``0``] ``=``=` `prev_rank ``and``                ``suffixes[i].rank[``1``] ``=``=` `suffixes[i ``-` `1``].rank[``1``]):``                ``prev_rank ``=` `suffixes[i].rank[``0``]``                ``suffixes[i].rank[``0``] ``=` `rank``                ` `            ``# Otherwise increment rank and assign   ``            ``else``: ``                ``prev_rank ``=` `suffixes[i].rank[``0``]``                ``rank ``+``=` `1``                ``suffixes[i].rank[``0``] ``=` `rank``            ``ind[suffixes[i].index] ``=` `i` `        ``# Assign next rank to every suffix``        ``for` `i ``in` `range``(n):``            ``nextindex ``=` `suffixes[i].index ``+` `k ``/``/` `2``            ``suffixes[i].rank[``1``] ``=` `suffixes[ind[nextindex]].rank[``0``] \``                ``if` `(nextindex < n) ``else` `-``1` `        ``# Sort the suffixes according to``        ``# first k characters``        ``suffixes ``=` `sorted``(``            ``suffixes, key ``=` `lambda` `x: (``                ``x.rank[``0``], x.rank[``1``]))` `        ``k ``*``=` `2` `    ``# Store indexes of all sorted``    ``# suffixes in the suffix array``    ``suffixArr ``=` `[``0``] ``*` `n``    ` `    ``for` `i ``in` `range``(n):``        ``suffixArr[i] ``=` `suffixes[i].index` `    ``# Return the suffix array``    ``return` `suffixArr` `# A utility function to print an array``# of given size``def` `printArr(arr, n):``    ` `    ``for` `i ``in` `range``(n):``        ``print``(arr[i], end ``=` `" "``)``        ` `    ``print``()` `# Driver code``if` `__name__ ``=``=` `"__main__"``:``    ` `    ``txt ``=` `"banana"``    ``n ``=` `len``(txt)``    ` `    ``suffixArr ``=` `buildSuffixArray(txt, n)``    ` `    ``print``(``"Following is suffix array for"``, txt)``    ` `    ``printArr(suffixArr, n)` `# This code is contributed by debrc`

## Javascript

 ``
Output
```Following is suffix array for banana
5 3 1 0 4 2 ```

Note that the above algorithm uses standard sort function and therefore time complexity is O(nLognLogn). We can use Radix Sort here to reduce the time complexity to O(nLogn).

Method 2:

The problem can also be solved using the map.

Algorithm:

1) Create a map with a key string and its value is an integer.

2) Iterate over the string in reverse order and create a new string(i.e from i = n – 1, 0).

3) Map new string with the last index position of I.

4) Create an array and assign all values of the map in the array.

## C++14

 `// C++14 program to build a suffix array in O(nlogn) time;` `#include ``using` `namespace` `std;` `int` `main()``{``    ``string s = ``"banana"``;``    ``int` `n = s.length();``    ``map Map;``    ``int` `suffix[n];` `    ``// Maping string with its index of``    ``// it's last letter.``    ``string sub = ``""``;``    ``for` `(``int` `i = n - 1; i >= 0; i--) {``        ``sub = s[i] + sub;``        ``Map[sub] = i;``    ``}` `    ``// Storing all values of map``    ``// in suffix array.``    ``int` `j = 0;``    ``for` `(``auto` `x : Map) {``        ``suffix[j] = x.second;``        ``j++;``    ``}` `    ``// printing suffix array.``    ``cout << ``"Suffix array for banana is"` `<< endl;``    ``for` `(``int` `i = 0; i < n; i++) {``        ``cout << suffix[i] << ``" "``;``    ``}``    ``cout << endl;``    ``return` `0;``}`
Output
```Suffix array for banana is
5 3 1 0 4 2 ```

The time complexity of the algorithm is O(N log N). Please note that suffix arrays can be constructed in O(n) time also. We will soon be discussing O(n) algorithms.
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