A Qualitative Performance Comparison and Analysis of Suffix Array, FM-index and Compressed Suffix Array

Suffix array is an index structure widely used in string matching and data compression which has the advantages of fast data retrieval and high compatibility in many areas of applications. Nevertheless, the memory space consumption for the execution of the algorithm is inefficient compare with conventional methods. To overcome this problem, FM-index and Compressed Suffix Array (CSA) were proposed. In this paper, the constructor methods of the three index structures are comprehensively described in order to evaluate their specific characteristics in the corresponding applicable field. Performances of these index structures are analyzed through the designed experiments, and qualitative conclusions are drawn based on the measured results.