Problem
We are required to write a JavaScript function that takes in an array of strings. All the strings in the array contain the same characters, or the repetition of characters, and just one string contains a different set of characters. Our function should find and return that string.
For example
If the array is −
[‘ba’, 'abc', 'acb', 'bac', 'foo', 'bca', 'cab', 'cba' ]
Then the required string is ‘foo’.
Strings may contain spaces. Spaces are not significant, only non-spaces symbols matter. Example, a string that contains only spaces is like an empty string. It’s guaranteed that the array contains more than 3 strings.
Example
Following is the code −
const arr = ['ba', 'abc', 'acb', 'bac', 'foo', 'bca', 'cab', 'cba' ]; const findOnlyUnique = (arr = []) => { const first = []; for(i = 0; i < arr.length; i++){ first.push(arr[i].toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, '').split('')); for (j = 0; j < arr[i].length; j++){ first[i].sort(); } } const second = []; for (k = 0; k < arr.length; k++){ second.push(first[k].join()); } second.sort(); const third = []; if (second[1] !== second[second.length - 1]) { third.push(second[second.length - 1]); }else{ third.push(second[0]); } const last = []; for(let n = 0; n < first.length; n++){ last.push(first[n].join(',')); } return (arr[last.indexOf(third[0])]); }; console.log(findOnlyUnique(arr));
Output
foo