![[image of the Head of a GNU]](/graphics/gnu-head-sm.jpg)
GNU gperf is a perfect hash function generator. For a given list of strings, it produces a hash function and hash table, in form of C or C++ code, for looking up a value depending on the input string. The hash function is perfect, which means that the hash table has no collisions, and the hash table lookup needs a single string comparison only.
GNU gperf is highly customizable. There are options for generating
C or C++ code, for emitting switch statements or nested
ifs instead of a hash table, and for tuning the algorithm
employed by gperf.
Online Manual is available at www.gnu.org/software/gperf/manual/
gperf can be found on in the subdirectory /gnu/gperf/ on your favorite
GNU mirror. For other ways to
obtain gperf, please read
How to get GNU Software
Please send FSF & GNU inquiries & questions to gnu@gnu.org. There are also other ways to contact the FSF.
Please send comments on these web pages to webmasters@www.gnu.org, send other questions to gnu@gnu.org.
Copyright (C) 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111, USA
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.
Updated: 17 Aug 2000 bkuhn