performance - Java: Find similar strings -

i have java list (it map if necessary) lot of strings.

• list(hello,hell,car,cartoon,...)

i want find similar strings given string in efficient way.

i think should use levenshtein distance, don't want iterate through list.

do think idea divide main list in pieces common prefix?

then have map prefixes key , list value:

• hel -> list(hello,hell,...)
• car -> list(car,cartoon,...)

in way search strings same prefix searched one. apply levenshtein distance strings , not main-list.

is idea? thanks

you once calculate soundex code of every entry, , map soundex list of original word. soundex reducing code 1 single key similar sounding words.

map<string, set<string>> soundextowords = ... (string word : words) {     string sdex = soundex(word);     set<string> similarwords = soundextowords.get(sdex));     if (similarwords == null) {         similarwords = new hashset<>();         soundextowords.put(sdex, similarwords);     }     similarwords.add(word); }  set<string> similarwords(string word) {     return soundextowords.get(soundex(word)); } 

soundex typically 1 language, english, , english quite reducive.