Python/strings/min_window_substring.py

def min_window(search_str: str, target_letters: str) -> str:
    """
    Given a string to search, and another string of target char_dict,
    return the smallest substring of the search string that contains
    all target char_dict.

    >>> is_contains_unique_chars("Hello World", "lWl")
    "llo W"
    >>> is_contains_unique_chars("Hello World", "f")
    ""

    This solution uses a sliding window, alternating between shifting
    the end of the window right until all target char_dict are contained
    in the window, and shifting the start of the window right until the
    window no longer contains every target character.

    Time complexity: O(target_count + search_len) -> 
        The algorithm checks a dictionary at most twice for each character 
        in search_str.

    Space complexity: O(search_len) -> 
        The primary contributer to additional space is the building of a 
        dictionary using the search string.
    """
    
    target_count = len(target_letters)
    search_len = len(search_str)


    #Return if not possible due to string lengths.
    if (search_len < target_count):
        return ""

    #Build dictionary with counts for each letter in target_letters
    char_dict = {}
    for ch in target_letters:
        if ch not in char_dict:
            char_dict[ch] = 1
        else:
            char_dict[ch] += 1

    #Initialize window
    window_start = 0
    window_end = 0

    exists = False
    min_window_len = search_len + 1

    #Start sliding window algorithm
    while(window_end < search_len):

        #Slide window end right until all search characters are contained
        while(target_count > 0 and window_end < search_len):
            cur = search_str[window_end]
            if cur in char_dict:
                char_dict[cur] -= 1
                if (char_dict[cur] >= 0):
                    target_count -= 1
            window_end += 1
        temp = window_end - window_start

        #Check if window is the smallest found so far
        if (target_count == 0 and temp < min_window_len):
            min_window = [window_start,window_end]
            exists = True
            min_window_len = temp

        #Slide window start right until a search character exits the window
        while(target_count == 0 and window_start < window_end):
            cur = search_str[window_start]
            window_start += 1
            if cur in char_dict:
                char_dict[cur] += 1
                if (char_dict[cur] > 0):
                    break
        temp = window_end - window_start + 1

        #Check if window is the smallest found so far
        if (temp < min_window_len and target_count == 0):
            min_window = [window_start-1,window_end]
            min_window_len = temp
        target_count = 1

    if (exists):
        return search_str[min_window[0]:min_window[1]]
    else:
        return ""