Inspiration
The Schonfeld challenge caught our eye because of its topic and complexity. Being interested in stocks and finance this project seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine two of our passions.
What it does
Monster Search Engine is a search engine that indexes and queries a large dataset. The result of the queries are matches to the given search parameter. The order of the search results is dependent on the priority of each type of identifier with a complete match outranking the priority of the identifiers.
How we built it
The challenge was solved with speed in mind. A couple of implementations were created before we arrived at complete solution. First, we thought of preprocessing the data into a trie, but ultimately implemented a solution that utilizes the speed and optimization of BASH with a log linear time complexity. The backend of the the project was implemented in python and the front end was created using react and HTML. The engine behind the search was created in BASH.
Challenges we ran into
We ran into multiple challenges during our time creating this project. The largest challenge was coming up with a solution that could handle large amounts of data and handle the data quickly. Multiple data structures were attempted such as hash maps and a trie. Eventually the BASH script solution outperformed the trees and hash maps.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of completing our first inspersion hackathon! The Challenge we chose was a challenging feat that tested all of our skills. Given the multiple implementations we tested with the time constraints, we are very proud of the final project. We are also proud of developing a creative out of the box solution that preforms better than the obvious solution.
What we learned
We learned many tings during our experience creating this project. This was the first time some of our group mates had touched these technologies. We learned how to collaborate as a group and test our ideas and code while we developed. Learning how to utilize BASH while using multiple web frameworks will be useful for us in the future.
What's next for Monster Search Engine
Next for Monster Search Engine is to expand its functionality. Currently Monster search engine has limited data and functionality. We would like to be able to display more information and allow for more complex search queries. We would also like to explore optimizing the engine for maximum speed and efficiency.
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