I want to ask a question to find an algorithm. This specific question feels like a UX question to me, but I can also see the counter argument to that. Is this the correct site to ask for a search algorithm to best meet the needs of my users?
Here is the question I want to ask:
I have hundreds of items for the user to search through. I am trying to find the best search algorithm. I am currently using the Levenshtein Distance algorithm, but it does not suit my needs for the following reason.
Things user can search for: "Pool", "Pool Table", "Table"
When the user types in "Pool", I want the results to come back with both "Pool" and "Pool Table". But with the Levenshtein Distance algorithm, I can only return "Pool".
One solution is for me to run the algorithm on each word, and find my results like that. But I don't know if there is a better way, and I do not want to reinvent the wheel.
What is the best search algorithm for a user to search a database of strings that meets my above criteria?