How to Hide Duplicate Div Elements Using JavaScript and jQuery

Learn how to hide all divs with the same class and content while displaying only unique items based on a search input in JavaScript and jQuery.
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How to Hide Duplicate Div Elements Using JavaScript and jQuery

When you're working with a collection of elements that may contain duplicate content, displaying all of them can create a cluttered interface. If you're using styles like div elements with the same class and repeating texts, it can be frustrating for users to see the same information multiple times. In this guide, we will tackle a common problem: hiding duplicate divs based on a search input, using JavaScript or jQuery.

Understanding the Problem

In our scenario, we have a list of FAQ items, all wrapped in div elements with the same class (faq_item). Some of these FAQs are duplicates, and we want to:

Display only unique FAQs

Show only the FAQs that match the user's search query

Example HTML Structure

Here's a snippet of the HTML we are working with:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

User Input

As the user types their query into a search field, we want to:

Highlight the unique items that contain the search string.

Hide duplicates efficiently without looping through every single div again.

The Solution

Instead of iterating through the nodes multiple times, we can leverage a hash object to track already-seen text. This allows us to hide duplicate divs without unnecessary performance costs.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Select all FAQ items. Use the querySelectorAll method to grab all elements you want to work with.

Create a hash map. This will help track what text we've seen so that we can avoid displaying duplicates.

Filter items based on user input. Check if the text matches the search string and decide whether to hide or show the div.

Sample Code Implementation

Here’s how you can implement this logic:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

CSS for Better Visuals

Add some CSS to style the visible and hidden elements:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

HTML Structure with a Button

Include a button that users can click after typing their search string to execute the filtering:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively filter out duplicate div elements in response to user input without unnecessary iterations. This method not only cleans up your content but also enhances the user experience by displaying unique, relevant data.

Feel free to experiment with these methods and apply them to your HTML structures. Happy coding!