Workshop › 2048 › Step 14 of 26

Only real moves count

What we are doing

A move only counts if it changed something; otherwise a player could fill the board by pressing a useless direction. We compare the board before and after, and add a tile only when they differ.

```js
function move(direction) {
  const before = JSON.stringify(board)

  if (JSON.stringify(board) === before) return false
  addTile()
  return true
}
```

What it means

• JSON.stringify(board) turns the whole board into one text, like '[[2,4,0,0],...]', which can be compared with ===.
• If nothing changed, move returns false before adding a tile; otherwise it adds one and returns true.

Your turn

1. At the top of move, write the before line.
2. After the loop, write the comparison above addTile(), and return true under it.

Skills: Game states

← The arrow key Right is left, reversed →

All steps

1. The board
2. Sixteen cells
3. A grid of numbers
4. A color for every number
5. Numbers on the tiles
6. Big numbers, smaller text
7. Find the empty cells
8. A new tile
9. Two tiles to start
10. Slide a row
11. Merge equal tiles
12. Move left
13. The arrow key
14. Only real moves count
15. Right is left, reversed
16. Up and down are columns
17. Score
18. Is there a move left?
19. Game over
20. Making 2048
21. Win and lose screens
22. Space to go on
23. Best score
24. Swipes
25. A tap is not a swipe
26. Build it yourself: undo