How to squeeze a lexicon

Minimal acyclic deterministic finite automata (ADFAs) can be used as a compact representation of finite string sets with fast access time. Creating them with traditional algorithms of DFA minimization is resource greedy when a large collection of strings is involved. This paper aims to popularize an efficient but little-known algorithm for creating minimal ADFAs recognizing a finite language, invented independently by several authors. The algorithm is presented for three variants of ADFAs, its minor improvements are discussed, and minimal ADFAs are compared to competitive data structures.