Measure the distance between two strings with Ruby?

Question

Can I measure the distance between two strings with Ruby?

I.e.:

compare(\'Test\', \'est\') # Returns 1
compare(\'Test\', \'Tes\') #          


        

Answer 1

Much simpler, I'm a Ruby show-off at times...

# Levenshtein distance, translated from wikipedia pseudocode by ross

def lev s, t
  return t.size if s.empty?
  return s.size if t.empty?
  return [ (lev s.chop, t) + 1,
           (lev s, t.chop) + 1,
           (lev s.chop, t.chop) + (s[-1, 1] == t[-1, 1] ? 0 : 1)
       ].min
end