listSpecificGet

ListSpecificGet is a data retrieval utility used in programming to obtain a single element from a list that satisfies a particular criterion. It is commonly employed when exact matching on a field or a predicate is required, as opposed to retrieving all matching elements or selecting by index.

Typical forms of listSpecificGet vary by language. Common patterns include: listSpecificGet(list, predicate) which returns the first element for which predicate(element) is true; or listSpecificGet(list, key, value) which returns the first element where element[key] equals value. Some implementations return a nullable value (null or undefined) if no match is found; others raise an error or return a default value.

Return semantics depend on the API. If a match is found, the element is returned; if not, behavior is determined by the design: returning null/undefined, throwing an exception, or supplying a default element.

Example: Given list = [{id:1, name:'Alice'}, {id:2, name:'Bob'}], listSpecificGet(list, 'id', 2) yields {id:2, name:'Bob'}.

Performance considerations: listSpecificGet typically performs a linear scan of the list, resulting in O(n) time. It is efficient for small lists or when matches are rare, but for large datasets or frequent lookups, indexing tricks or hash-based maps are preferable. Ensure that the key exists on elements to avoid runtime errors, and be mindful of value types and equality semantics.

See also: find, filter, get by index, and other retrieval utilities.