Add a function to return index

[yktakaha4]

Thanks for the great library!

I thought it would be more flexible to add a function that returns the index of the array (e.g., to use the value of the object corresponding to index)

I have already created a test and confirmed that it does not break the existing behavior.

[BeLi4L]

I personally feel like this kind of utility methods doesn't really belong in such a library, which is focused on the distance itself, not a specific use-case related to that distance.

I'm not sure why closest was added in the first place 🤷

[ka-weihe]

I thought it would be more flexible to add a function that returns the index of the array (e.g., to use the value of the object corresponding to index)

@yktakaha4 I agree, that is probably how closest should have been, but I don't think I will add your changes now (but thank you, I will maybe open this again later). I have to think about it. For now, you just have to do it in your own code.

I'm not sure why closest was added in the first place

@BeLi4L closest was added because it is possible to do some very powerful optimizations when you compute the distance between one string and an array of multiple strings. I have not added these optimizations yet, but that is why closest is in the source. closest is also how this package is mostly used by people.

[BeLi4L]

@BeLi4L closest was added because it is possible to do some very powerful optimizations when you compute the distance between one string and an array of multiple strings

Good point! I didn't think of that 👍

Just curious, since I only use distance, do you have examples of use cases of closest? 🤔

[ka-weihe]

Just curious, since I only use distance, do you have examples of use cases of closest?

Imagine you have an array of all english words and a misspelled word.

Then you would simply do ...

closest(misspelled_word, all_english_words)

... to find the correct word.