Wildcard Search
Wildcard search is a text-matching technique that uses special characters (wildcards) to represent unknown or variable characters in search queries, enabling flexible pattern-based searches in strings, databases, or file systems. It allows users to find matches based on partial information, such as searching for all files ending with '.txt' or names starting with 'John'. This concept is widely implemented in programming languages, SQL queries, command-line tools, and search engines to enhance search capabilities.
Developers should learn wildcard search when building applications that require flexible text searching, filtering, or data retrieval, such as in search functionalities, file management systems, or database queries. It is essential for scenarios where exact matches are not feasible, like autocomplete features, log analysis, or batch processing of files with similar naming patterns, improving user experience and system efficiency.