Minimum Window Substring

def minWindow(s, t):
    need = [0] * 128  # copies of each character code that t asks for
    for ch in t:
        need[ord(ch)] += 1
    letters = [c for c in range(128) if need[c] > 0]
    best_start, best_len = 0, len(s) + 1
    for start in range(len(s)):
        have = [0] * 128  # counts inside s[start..end]
        for end in range(start, len(s)):
            have[ord(s[end])] += 1
            if all(have[c] >= need[c] for c in letters):
                # The first end that covers t gives the shortest window from this start.
                if end - start + 1 < best_len:
                    best_start, best_len = start, end - start + 1
                break
    if best_len > len(s):
        return ""
    return s[best_start:best_start + best_len]

def minWindow(s, t):
    need = [0] * 128  # copies of each character code that t asks for
    for ch in t:
        need[ord(ch)] += 1
    letters = [c for c in range(128) if need[c] > 0]
    have = [0] * 128  # counts inside s[left..right]

    def covers():
        for c in letters:
            if have[c] < need[c]:
                return False
        return True

    left = 0
    best_start, best_len = 0, len(s) + 1
    for right in range(len(s)):
        have[ord(s[right])] += 1  # expand on the right
        while covers():  # shrink from the left while the window still covers t
            if right - left + 1 < best_len:
                best_start, best_len = left, right - left + 1
            have[ord(s[left])] -= 1
            left += 1
    if best_len > len(s):
        return ""
    return s[best_start:best_start + best_len]

def minWindow(s, t):
    # need[c]: copies of c that t asks for minus copies inside the window.
    # Positive means the window still lacks c; negative means it holds spares.
    need = [0] * 128
    for ch in t:
        need[ord(ch)] += 1
    missing = len(t)  # characters of t the window does not cover yet
    left = 0
    best_start, best_len = 0, len(s) + 1
    for right in range(len(s)):
        c = ord(s[right])
        if need[c] > 0:  # this copy fills a gap
            missing -= 1
        need[c] -= 1
        while missing == 0:  # the window covers t: record it, then shrink
            if right - left + 1 < best_len:
                best_start, best_len = left, right - left + 1
            c = ord(s[left])
            need[c] += 1
            if need[c] > 0:  # gave away a copy t needs
                missing += 1
            left += 1
    if best_len > len(s):
        return ""
    return s[best_start:best_start + best_len]