JavaScript Palindrome Checker: 2 Approaches & 1-Liner Solution

Unraveling the Mystery of Palindromes in JavaScript

What is a Palindrome?

A palindrome is a string that reads the same forward and backward. Sounds simple, but it’s a fascinating concept in the world of programming. Take the word “dad” for instance – it’s a perfect palindrome because it remains the same when read from left to right or right to left. Another example is “madam”, which also shares this unique property.

Checking Palindromes with JavaScript

So, how do we check if a given string is a palindrome using JavaScript? Let’s dive into two approaches: using a for loop and leveraging built-in functions.

The for Loop Approach

Our first example utilizes a for loop to iterate through the string, comparing characters from the beginning and end. Here’s how it works:

• The checkPalindrome() function takes user input and calculates the string’s length using the length property.
• A for loop iterates up to the half of the string, checking if the first and corresponding last characters match.
• If any character mismatch is found, the string is not a palindrome.

The Built-in Function Approach

Our second example employs JavaScript’s built-in methods to check for palindromes. Here’s the breakdown:

• The split('') method converts the string into an array of individual characters.
• The reverse() method reverses the array’s order.
• The join('') method combines the reversed array elements into a new string.
• An if...else statement checks if the original string matches the reversed string. If they’re equal, it’s a palindrome!

Simplifying the Code

Did you know that the multiple lines of code can be condensed into a single line? Take a look at this concise version:

const isPalindrome = str => str === str.split('').reverse().join('');

Reversing Strings in JavaScript

If you’re interested in exploring more, check out our article on reversing strings in JavaScript.