Searching Directories For Files (Recursive vs Iterative)

filesearch.js

// Both of these implementations are pseudocodes.

// The objective of both of these implementations is to check
// if a file exists inside a directory or not. It does not have to be
// directly present inside the directory.

// In the ITERATIVE version, we have to define 2 functions and it's a lot less readable.
// The RECURSIVE version is much more readable and induces a lesser cognitive load
// (ease of understanding) on the person reading it.

// Decide for yourself which implementation is better in this case!

/*====================*/
/* RECURSIVE FUNCTION */
/*====================*/

function recursiveFileSearch (currentDirectory, fileToFind) {
	let childDirectories 	= getChildDirectories()
	let files 		= getFilesDirectory(currentDirectory)

	for (let i=0; i<files.length; i+=1) {
		if (files[i] == fileToFind) return true;
	}

	for (let i=0; i<childDirectories.length; i+=1) {
		if (recursiveFileSearch(childDirectories[i], fileToFind)) return true;
	}

	return false;
}

/*====================*/
/* ITERATIVE FUNCTION */
/*====================*/


function getAllSubdirectories (currentDirectory) {
	// This function will get all subdirectories, not just
	// immediate children directories.
	
	// Using a Breadth-First Search (BFS) implementation,
	// and using a stack, we get this list.
	
	// Not typing out the entire algorithm for brevity's sake.
	return subdirectories;
}

function iterativeFileSearch (currentDirectory, fileToFind) {
	let subdirectories = getAllSubdirectories(currentDirectory);

	for (let i=0; i<subdirectories.length; i+=1) {
		let files = getFilesDirectory(subdirectories[i]);

		for (let j=0; j<files.length; j+=1) {
			if (files[j] == fileToFind) return true; 
		}
	}
	return false;
}