KMP Algorithm

The Knuth-Morris-Pratt (KMP) algorithm efficiently finds a pattern within a larger text by avoiding unnecessary comparisons. It does this by preprocessing the pattern to create a "failure function," which indicates where to resume matching if a mismatch occurs. When searching, the algorithm compares characters working through the text and pattern simultaneously. If characters match, it continues; if not, it uses the failure function to skip ahead in the pattern instead of rechecking already matched characters. This approach minimizes repetitions and speeds up the search, making KMP especially effective for large texts and complex patterns.