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README.md

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Package mutable_string provides a utility for manipulating strings in a flexible and efficient manner. The package allows users to apply multiple string modifications (such as insertions, deletions, and replacements) to an initial string while deferring the actual application of these modifications.

MutableString is the core data structure of this package, representing a string that can undergo multiple transformations. The transformations are represented as overlays, where each overlay specifies a range of characters to be replaced and the replacement text. The MutableString struct keeps track of the initial text and a list of overlays. The text modifications are not immediately applied to the initial text; instead, they are stored in the overlays until the Commit method is called. During the Commit operation, all accumulated overlays are applied to the initial text in the order they were added, resulting in the final transformed string.

The package provides a set of methods for creating and manipulating MutableString instances, including:

  • ReplaceRange: Adds an overlay that specifies a range of characters in the initial text to be replaced with the provided replacement text. The range is defined by a starting position (inclusive) and an ending position (exclusive). If the replacement text is empty, this operation effectively performs a deletion.

  • Insert: Adds an overlay that inserts the provided text at the end of the initial text. This operation extends the length of the initial text.

  • Commit: Applies all accumulated overlays to the initial text. After the Commit operation, the initial text is updated to the final transformed string, and the list of overlays is cleared. The Commit method ensures that no overlapping overlays are applied; if it detects any overlaps, it returns an error.

MutableString is designed to handle batch string transformations efficiently. By deferring the actual application of modifications, the package reduces the number of intermediate string allocations and copies that would be needed if each modification were applied immediately. This is particularly useful when dealing with large strings and a sequence of complex transformations.

Usage:

ms := NewMutableString("hello world")
ms.ReplaceRange(Range{Pos: 0, End: 5}, "hi") // Replace "hello" with "hi"
ms.Insert(5, " there")                       // Insert " there" in between "hello" and " world"
ms.Append("!")                               // Insert "!" at the end.
res, err := ms.Commit()                      // Apply the overlays
if err != nil {
	fmt.Println(err)
} else {
	fmt.Println(res) // Output: "hi there world!"
}

The package is intended for use cases where batch string manipulation is needed, such as text editors, document processing systems, and code generation tools. It provides a convenient and memory-efficient way to perform complex string transformations.