Finds the shortest unique string for a string in an array of strings. Meant to be used with hashes

minHash.js

/**
 * Big thanks to Bruce who figured this out for me. What this function does is
 * give you the shortest unique prefix of the strings (hashes) that you give it
 * in the array.
 *
 * Args: {array} hashesArr, {function} callback
 * Returns: {array} minHashes, through callback. Something like this:
 *
 * [ '1c',
 *   '28d',
 *   '4',
 *   '288',
 *   '19',
 *   'f',
 *   '8' ]
 */
function minHash(hashesArr, callback) {
	var minHashes = new Array();

	hashesArr.forEach(function (val, index) {
		var min = 0;

		hashesArr.forEach(function (val2, index2) {
			if (index === index2) return;

			var i = 0;
			while (val[i] === val2[i]) {
				if(i >= min) min = i + 1;
				i++;
			}
		});

		minHashes[index] = val.substr(0, min + 1);
	});

	return callback(minHashes);
}