How fast can you make linear search?

Question

I\'m looking to optimize this linear search:

static int
linear (const int *arr, int n, int key)
{
        int i = 0;
        while (i < n) {
                      


        

Answer 1

If you're on an Intel platform:

int linear (const int *array, int n, int key)
{
  __asm
  {
    mov edi,array
    mov ecx,n
    mov eax,key
    repne scasd
    mov eax,-1
    jne end
    mov eax,n
    sub eax,ecx
    dec eax
end:
  }
}

but that only finds exact matches, not greater than or equal matches.

In C, you can also use Duff's Device:

int linear (const int *array, int n, int key)
{
  const int
    *end = &array [n];

  int
    result = 0;

  switch (n % 8)
  {
    do {
  case 0:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 7:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 6:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 5:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 4:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 3:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 2:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
  case 1:
    if (*(array++) >= key) break;
    ++result;
    } while(array < end);
  }

  return result;
}