Use a slice instead of a linked list to track equalities

This is easier to follow and more idiomatic.
It also offers a minor overall performance boost.

name                       old time/op    new time/op    delta
DiffHalfMatch-8               107µs ± 1%     108µs ± 0%   +0.91%  (p=0.000 n=9+9)
DiffCleanupSemantic-8         968µs ± 1%     921µs ± 1%   -4.87%  (p=0.000 n=9+10)
DiffMain-8                    1.01s ± 0%     1.01s ± 0%     ~     (p=0.353 n=10+10)
DiffMainLarge-8               102ms ± 2%     101ms ± 1%     ~     (p=0.842 n=10+9)
DiffMainRunesLargeLines-8     515µs ± 1%     515µs ± 1%     ~     (p=0.400 n=9+10)

name                       old alloc/op   new alloc/op   delta
DiffHalfMatch-8               106kB ± 0%     106kB ± 0%     ~     (all equal)
DiffCleanupSemantic-8         177kB ± 0%     163kB ± 0%   -7.81%  (p=0.000 n=10+10)
DiffMain-8                   16.4MB ± 0%    16.4MB ± 0%   +0.00%  (p=0.000 n=9+10)
DiffMainLarge-8              4.81MB ± 0%    4.81MB ± 0%     ~     (p=1.000 n=10+10)
DiffMainRunesLargeLines-8     174kB ± 0%     174kB ± 0%     ~     (p=0.810 n=10+10)

name                       old allocs/op  new allocs/op  delta
DiffHalfMatch-8                2.00 ± 0%      2.00 ± 0%     ~     (all equal)
DiffCleanupSemantic-8         3.12k ± 0%     1.11k ± 0%  -64.48%  (p=0.000 n=10+10)
DiffMain-8                     83.0 ± 0%      84.0 ± 0%   +1.20%  (p=0.000 n=9+10)
DiffMainLarge-8               46.3k ± 0%     46.3k ± 0%   -0.08%  (p=0.000 n=10+10)
DiffMainRunesLargeLines-8     1.08k ± 0%     1.08k ± 0%     ~     (all equal)

Author: josharian

diffmatchpatch/diff.go

@@ -645,11 +645,7 @@ func (dmp *DiffMatchPatch) diffHalfMatchI(l, s []rune, i int) [][]rune {
 func (dmp *DiffMatchPatch) DiffCleanupSemantic(diffs []Diff) []Diff {
 	changes := false
 	// Stack of indices where equalities are found.
-	type equality struct {
-		data int
-		next *equality
-	}
-	var equalities *equality
+	equalities := make([]int, 0, len(diffs))
 
 	var lastequality string
 	// Always equal to diffs[equalities[equalitiesLength - 1]][1]
@@ -662,11 +658,7 @@ func (dmp *DiffMatchPatch) DiffCleanupSemantic(diffs []Diff) []Diff {
 	for pointer < len(diffs) {
 		if diffs[pointer].Type == DiffEqual {
 			// Equality found.
-
-			equalities = &equality{
-				data: pointer,
-				next: equalities,
-			}
+			equalities = append(equalities, pointer)
 			lengthInsertions1 = lengthInsertions2
 			lengthDeletions1 = lengthDeletions2
 			lengthInsertions2 = 0
@@ -687,21 +679,20 @@ func (dmp *DiffMatchPatch) DiffCleanupSemantic(diffs []Diff) []Diff {
 				(len(lastequality) <= difference1) &&
 				(len(lastequality) <= difference2) {
 				// Duplicate record.
-				insPoint := equalities.data
+				insPoint := equalities[len(equalities)-1]
 				diffs = splice(diffs, insPoint, 0, Diff{DiffDelete, lastequality})
 
 				// Change second copy to insert.
 				diffs[insPoint+1].Type = DiffInsert
 				// Throw away the equality we just deleted.
-				equalities = equalities.next
+				equalities = equalities[:len(equalities)-1]
 
-				if equalities != nil {
-					equalities = equalities.next
+				if len(equalities) > 0 {
+					equalities = equalities[:len(equalities)-1]
 				}
-				if equalities != nil {
-					pointer = equalities.data
-				} else {
-					pointer = -1
+				pointer = -1
+				if len(equalities) > 0 {
+					pointer = equalities[len(equalities)-1]
 				}
 
 				lengthInsertions1 = 0 // Reset the counters.