Searching a linear data structure, such as an array, can be as simple and straightforward as checking through every value until you find what you are looking for. A sequential search, also known as a linear search, involves starting at the beginning of a list or sequence, sorted or not, and searching one-by-one through each item, in the order they exist in the list, until the value is found.

This unsophisticated approach is appropriate for small lists or unordered lists.

The order of a sequential search is linear, O(N).