Compare search in array vs set

array_vs_set.py

import random
import string
import timeit


def generate_random_string(length):
    return ''.join(random.choice(string.ascii_letters) for _ in range(length))


random_strings = [
    generate_random_string(random.randint(7, 12)) for _ in range(500)
]


def find_in_array():
    count = 0  # do some job so that optimiser does not skip searching in array
    
    for _ in range(10000):
        string_to_find = random.choice(random_strings) # existing string
        count += 1 if string_to_find in random_strings else 2
    return count


def find_in_set():
    count = 0  # do some job so that optimiser does not skip searching in set
    
    random_strings_set = set(
        random_strings
    )  # include the set generation into total time
    
    for _ in range(10000):
        string_to_find = random.choice(random_strings) # existig string
        count += 1 if string_to_find in random_strings_set else 2
    return count


time_taken_array = timeit.timeit(find_in_array, number=1)
print(f"find string in array (10,000 runs): {time_taken_array:.10f} seconds")

time_taken_set = timeit.timeit(find_in_set, number=1)
print(f"find string in set (10,000 runs): {time_taken_set:.10f} seconds")