In JavaScript, you can shuffle an array by implementing an algorithm that randomly rearranges its elements. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to shuffle an array:
1. Create a function to shuffle the array:
Start by creating a function that will perform the shuffling operation. You can define a function that takes an array as input and returns a new shuffled array. Here's an example:
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function shuffleArray(array) {
// Code to shuffle the array
}
2. Implement the Fisher-Yates algorithm:
The Fisher-Yates algorithm is a common method used to shuffle an array. It iterates over the array in reverse order and swaps each element with a randomly selected element from the remaining unshuffled portion. Here's an example of how to implement the Fisher-Yates algorithm:
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function shuffleArray(array) {
var currentIndex = array.length;
var temporaryValue, randomIndex;
// While there are elements remaining to shuffle
while (currentIndex !== 0) {
// Pick a remaining element
randomIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * currentIndex);
currentIndex -= 1;
// Swap current element with the randomly selected element
temporaryValue = array[currentIndex];
array[currentIndex] = array[randomIndex];
array[randomIndex] = temporaryValue;
}
return array;
}
In this code snippet, theshuffleArray() function uses awhile loop to iterate over the array in reverse order. In each iteration, a random index is generated usingMath.random() andMath.floor(), and the current element is swapped with the element at the random index.
3. Invoke the shuffle function:
To shuffle an array, simply call theshuffleArray() function and pass the array as an argument. The function will return the shuffled array. Here's an example:
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var myArray = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
var shuffledArray = shuffleArray(myArray);
console.log(shuffledArray);
In this code snippet, theshuffleArray() function is invoked with themyArray as the argument. The resulting shuffled array is logged to the console.
By following these steps and implementing the Fisher-Yates algorithm, you can shuffle an array in JavaScript. The shuffled array will have a random order of elements. Remember to pass the array to the shuffle function and use the returned shuffled array as needed in your code.