Re: [External] : Re: Performance of `re-search-backward' vs `re-search-forward'

[Stefan Monnier]

>> So both basically move character by character and check if the regex
>> matches there (more or less)?
> They don't move character by character.
> They use the Boyer-Moore search algorithm.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyer%E2%80%93Moore_string-search_algorithm

While this is true in the special case where your regexp only matches
a constant string (i.e. you could have used the non-re
`search-(for|back)ward` instead), it's a rare exception.  In the vast
majority of cases it does move character by character.


        Stefan