Abstract

Minimal acyclic deterministic finite automata (ADFAs) can be used as a compact representation of string sets with fast access time. Creating them with traditional algorithms of DFA minimization is a resource hog when a large number of strings is involved. This paper aims to popularize an efficient but little known algorithm for creating minimal ADFAs recognizing a finite language, developed independently by several authors. The algorithm is presented for three variants of ADFAs, its minor improvements are discussed, and minimal ADFAs are compared to competitive data structures.

Citations