Approximate String Matching

Approximate string matching is a technique used to find similar but not identical strings of text. Instead of requiring an exact match, it measures how closely two strings resemble each other, allowing for errors like typos or slight differences. This is useful in applications like spell-checking, searching databases, or DNA analysis, where perfect matches are rare. The process involves calculating the "distance" or number of changes needed to make one string match another, enabling more flexible and tolerant search results that improve accuracy and usability in real-world scenarios.