# Xor Arrays

Compute the symmetric difference of arrays using lodash _.xor

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/xor-arrays

- **Category:** Data Processing

- **Keywords:** array, xor, symmetric, difference, lodash

## Overview

Return values that appear in only one of the provided arrays.

**Highlights:**
- Uses lodash `_.xor`
- Accepts 2-4 JSON arrays
- Useful for symmetric differences

**Example:**
- Array 1: `[1, 2, 3]`
- Array 2: `[2, 3, 4]`
- Result: `[1, 4]`

## Inputs

- **Array 1** (textarea): Enter a JSON array
- **Array 2** (textarea): Enter a JSON array
- **Array 3** (textarea): Optional third array
- **Array 4** (textarea): Optional fourth array

## When to use

- When you need to identify unique items present in one list but missing from another.
- When comparing two or more datasets to find non-overlapping elements.
- When cleaning data by isolating values that do not share commonality across multiple groups.

## How it works

- Input your data as valid JSON arrays into the provided fields.
- The tool utilizes the lodash _.xor function to process the inputs.
- The system calculates the symmetric difference and returns a single array containing only the unique values.

## Use cases

- Comparing user ID lists from two different databases to find missing records.
- Identifying unique configuration settings between two environment files.
- Filtering out common items from multiple inventory lists to see what is exclusive to each.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a symmetric difference?

A symmetric difference consists of elements that are in either of the sets, but not in their intersection.

### How many arrays can I compare at once?

You can compare between 2 and 4 JSON arrays simultaneously.

### What format should my input be in?

Inputs must be valid JSON arrays, such as [1, 2, 3] or ["apple", "banana"].

### Does the order of the arrays matter?

No, the symmetric difference operation is commutative, so the order of the arrays does not change the result.

### What happens if I provide duplicate values within a single array?

The tool processes the arrays based on the behavior of lodash _.xor, which focuses on the presence of values across the provided sets.

## Related tools

- [Head Item](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/head-item): Get the first element of array using lodash _.head
- [Index Of](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/index-of): Find the index of a value in array using lodash _.indexOf
- [Initial Items](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/initial-items): Get all elements except the last using lodash _.initial
- [Intersection Arrays](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/intersection-arrays): Find common values across multiple arrays using lodash _.intersection
- [Nth Item](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/nth-item): Get the item at a specific index using lodash _.nth
- [Sorted Index](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/sorted-index): Find the insertion index in a sorted array using lodash _.sortedIndex
- [Tail Items](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/tail-items): Return all but the first array item using lodash _.tail
- [Take Items](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/take-items): Take the first N items using lodash _.take

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