Print all distinct permutations of a given string with duplicates

Given a string that may contain duplicates, write a function to print all permutations of given string such that no permutation is repeated in output.
Examples: 

Input:  str[] = "AB"
Output: AB BA

Input:  str[] = "AA"
Output: AA

Input:  str[] = "ABC"
Output: ABC ACB BAC BCA CBA CAB

Input:  str[] = "ABA"
Output: ABA AAB BAA

Input:  str[] = "ABCA"
Output: AABC AACB ABAC ABCA ACBA ACAB BAAC BACA 
        BCAA CABA CAAB CBAA

We have discussed an algorithm to print all permutations in below post. It is strongly recommended to refer below post as a prerequisite of this post.
Write a C program to print all permutations of a given string
The algorithm discussed on above link doesn’t handle duplicates.

CPP

// Program to print all permutations of a
// string in sorted order.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;


// This function finds the index of the smallest character
// which is greater than 'first' and is present in str[l..h]
int findCeil(string str, char first, int l, int h)
{
    // initialize index of ceiling element
    int ceilIndex = l;

    // Now iterate through rest of the elements and find the
    // smallest character greater than 'first'
    for (int i = l + 1; i <= h; i++)
        if (str[i] > first && str[i] < str[ceilIndex])
            ceilIndex = i;

    return ceilIndex;
}

// Print all permutations of str in sorted order
void sortedPermutations(string str)
{
    // Get size of string
    int size = str.length();
    // Sort the string in increasing order
    sort(str.begin(), str.end());
    // Print permutations one by one
    bool isFinished = false;
    while (!isFinished)
    {
        // print this permutation
        cout << str << endl;
        // printf("%d  %s \n", x++, str);
        // Find the rightmost character which is smaller
        // than its next character. Let us call it 'first
        // char'
        int i;
        for (i = size - 2; i >= 0; --i)
            if (str[i] < str[i + 1])
                break;
        // If there is no such character, all are sorted in
        // decreasing order, means we just printed the last
        // permutation and we are done.
        if (i == -1)
            isFinished = true;
        else
        {
            // Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
            // first character. Ceil of a character is the
            // smallest character greater than it
            int ceilIndex = findCeil(str, str[i], i + 1, size - 1);
            // Swap first and second characters
            swap(str[i], str[ceilIndex]);
            // Sort the string on right of 'first char'
            sort(str.begin() + i + 1, str.end());
        }
    }
}

// Driver program to test above function
int main()
{
    string str = "ACBC";
    sortedPermutations(str);
    return 0;
}

// This code is contributed by Aditya Kumar (adityakumar129)

C

// Program to print all permutations of a string in sorted
// order.
#include <stdbool.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

/* Following function is needed for library
  function qsort(). */
int compare(const void* a, const void* b)
{
    return (*(char*)a - *(char*)b);
}

// A utility function two swap two characters
// a and b
void swap(char* a, char* b)
{
    char t = *a;
    *a = *b;
    *b = t;
}

// This function finds the index of the smallest character
// which is greater than 'first' and is present in str[l..h]
int findCeil(char str[], char first, int l, int h)
{
    // initialize index of ceiling element
    int ceilIndex = l;
    // Now iterate through rest of the elements and find the
    // smallest character greater than 'first'
    for (int i = l + 1; i <= h; i++)
        if (str[i] > first && str[i] < str[ceilIndex])
            ceilIndex = i;
    return ceilIndex;
}

// Print all permutations of str in sorted order
void sortedPermutations(char str[])
{
    // Get size of string
    int size = strlen(str);
    // Sort the string in increasing order
    qsort(str, size, sizeof(str[0]), compare);
    // Print permutations one by one
    bool isFinished = false;
    while (!isFinished) {
        // print this permutation
        static int x = 1;
        printf("%d  %s \n", x++, str);
        // Find the rightmost character which is smaller
        // than its next character. Let us call it 'first
        // char'
        int i;
        for (i = size - 2; i >= 0; --i)
            if (str[i] < str[i + 1])
                break;
        // If there is no such character, all are sorted in
        // decreasing order, means we just printed the last
        // permutation and we are done.
        if (i == -1)
            isFinished = true;
        else {
            // Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
            // first character. Ceil of a character is the
            // smallest character greater than it
            int ceilIndex = findCeil(str, str[i], i + 1, size - 1);
            // Swap first and second characters
            swap(&str[i], &str[ceilIndex]);
            // Sort the string on right of 'first char'
            qsort(str + i + 1, size - i - 1, sizeof(str[0]), compare);
        }
    }
}

// Driver program to test above function
int main()
{
    char str[] = "ACBC";
    sortedPermutations(str);
    return 0;
}

// This code is contributed by Aditya Kumar (adityakumar129)

Java

// Java Program to print all permutations of a
// string in sorted order.
import java.util.*;

class GFG
{

  // This function finds the index of the smallest
  // character which is greater than 'first' and is
  // present in str[l..h]
  static int findCeil(char[] str, char first, int l,
                      int h)
  {

    // initialize index of ceiling element
    int ceilIndex = l;

    // Now iterate through rest of the elements and find
    // the smallest character greater than 'first'
    for (int i = l + 1; i <= h; i++)
      if (str[i] > first && str[i] < str[ceilIndex])
        ceilIndex = i;

    return ceilIndex;
  }

  // Print all permutations of str in sorted order
  static void sortedPermutations(String str1)
  {

    // Get size of string
    int size = str1.length();

    char[] str = str1.toCharArray();

    // Sort the string in increasing order
    Arrays.sort(str);

    // Print permutations one by one
    boolean isFinished = false;
    int x = 1;
    while (!isFinished) {
      // print this permutation

      System.out.println(x++ + " " + new String(str));

      // printf("%d  %s \n", x++, str);
      // Find the rightmost character which is smaller
      // than its next character. Let us call it
      // 'first char'
      int i;
      for (i = size - 2; i >= 0; --i)
        if (str[i] < str[i + 1])
          break;
      // If there is no such character, all are sorted
      // in decreasing order, means we just printed
      // the last permutation and we are done.
      if (i == -1)
        isFinished = true;
      else {
        // Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
        // first character. Ceil of a character is
        // the smallest character greater than it
        int ceilIndex = findCeil(str, str[i], i + 1,
                                 size - 1);

        // Swap first and second characters
        char temp = str[i];
        str[i] = str[ceilIndex];
        str[ceilIndex] = temp;

        // Sort the string on right of 'first char'
        Arrays.sort(str, i + 1, str.length );
      }
    }
  }

  // Driver program to test above function
  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    String str = "ACBC";
    sortedPermutations(str);
  }
}

// This code is contributed by phasing17

Python3

# Program to print all permutations of a
# string in sorted order.

# This function finds the index of the smallest character
# which is greater than 'first' and is present in str[l..h]
def findCeil(str1, first, l, h):

    # initialize index of ceiling element
    ceilIndex = l

    # Now iterate through rest of the elements and find the
    # smallest character greater than 'first'
    for i in range(l + 1, 1 + h):
        if (str1[i] > first and str1[i] < str1[ceilIndex]):
            ceilIndex = i

    return ceilIndex

# Print all permutations of str in sorted order
def sortedPermutations(str1):
    size = len(str1)
    str1 = list(str1)

    # Sort the string in increasing order
    str1.sort()

    # Print permutations one by one
    isFinished = False
    x = 1
    while (not isFinished):

        # print this permutation
        print(x, "".join(str1))
        x += 1

        # Find the rightmost character which is smaller
        # than its next character. Let us call it 'first
        # char'
        i = len(str1) - 2
        while i >= 0:
            if (str1[i] < str1[i + 1]):
                break
            i -= 1

        # If there is no such character, all are sorted in
        # decreasing order, means we just printed the last
        # permutation and we are done.
        if (i == -1):
            isFinished = True
        else:
            # Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
            # first character. Ceil of a character is the
            # smallest character greater than it
            ceilIndex = findCeil(str1, str1[i], i + 1, size - 1)

            # Swap first and second characters
            temp = str1[i]
            str1[i] = str1[ceilIndex]
            str1[ceilIndex] = temp

            # Sort the string on right of 'first char'
            str1 = str1[0: i + 1] + sorted(str1[i + 1:])

# Driver program to test above function
str1 = "ACBC"
sortedPermutations(str1)

# This code is contributed by phasing17

C#

// C# Program to print all permutations of a
// string in sorted order.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class GFG
{

  // This function finds the index of the smallest
  // character which is greater than 'first' and is
  // present in str[l..h]
  static int findCeil(char[] str, char first, int l,
                      int h)
  {
    // initialize index of ceiling element
    int ceilIndex = l;

    // Now iterate through rest of the elements and find
    // the smallest character greater than 'first'
    for (int i = l + 1; i <= h; i++)
      if (str[i] > first && str[i] < str[ceilIndex])
        ceilIndex = i;

    return ceilIndex;
  }

  // Print all permutations of str in sorted order
  static void sortedPermutations(string str1)
  {
    // Get size of string
    int size = str1.Length;

    char[] str = str1.ToCharArray();

    // Sort the string in increasing order
    Array.Sort(str);

    // Print permutations one by one
    bool isFinished = false;
    int x = 1;
    while (!isFinished) {
      // print this permutation

      Console.WriteLine(x++ + " " + new string(str));

      // printf("%d  %s \n", x++, str);
      // Find the rightmost character which is smaller
      // than its next character. Let us call it
      // 'first char'
      int i;
      for (i = size - 2; i >= 0; --i)
        if (str[i] < str[i + 1])
          break;
      // If there is no such character, all are sorted
      // in decreasing order, means we just printed
      // the last permutation and we are done.
      if (i == -1)
        isFinished = true;
      else {
        // Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
        // first character. Ceil of a character is
        // the smallest character greater than it
        int ceilIndex = findCeil(str, str[i], i + 1,
                                 size - 1);

        // Swap first and second characters
        char temp = str[i];
        str[i] = str[ceilIndex];
        str[ceilIndex] = temp;

        // Sort the string on right of 'first char'
        Array.Sort(str, i + 1, str.Length - i - 1);
      }
    }
  }

  // Driver program to test above function
  public static void Main(string[] args)
  {
    string str = "ACBC";
    sortedPermutations(str);
  }
}

// This code is contributed by phasing17

Javascript

// Program to print all permutations of a
// string in sorted order.


// This function finds the index of the smallest character
// which is greater than 'first' and is present in str[l..h]
function findCeil(str, first, l, h)
{
    // initialize index of ceiling element
    let ceilIndex = l;

    // Now iterate through rest of the elements and find the
    // smallest character greater than 'first'
    for (let i = l + 1; i <= h; i++)
        if (str[i] > first && str[i] < str[ceilIndex])
            ceilIndex = i;

    return ceilIndex;
}

// Print all permutations of str in sorted order
function sortedPermutations(str)
{
    // Get size of string
    let size = str.length;

    str = str.split("");

    // Sort the string in increasing order
    str.sort();

    // Print permutations one by one
    let isFinished = false;
    let x = 1;
    while (!isFinished) {
        // print this permutation

        console.log(x++ + " " + str.join(""));
        // printf("%d  %s \n", x++, str);
        // Find the rightmost character which is smaller
        // than its next character. Let us call it 'first
        // char'
        let i;
        for (i = size - 2; i >= 0; --i)
            if (str[i] < str[i + 1])
                break;
        // If there is no such character, all are sorted in
        // decreasing order, means we just printed the last
        // permutation and we are done.
        if (i == -1)
            isFinished = true;
        else {
            // Find the ceil of 'first char' in right of
            // first character. Ceil of a character is the
            // smallest character greater than it
            let ceilIndex = findCeil(str, str[i], i + 1, size - 1);
            // Swap first and second characters
            let temp = str[i];
            str[i] = str[ceilIndex];
            str[ceilIndex] = temp;

            // Sort the string on right of 'first char'
            str = str.slice(0, i + 1).concat(str.slice(i + 1).sort());

        }
    }
}

// Driver program to test above function
let str = "ACBC";
sortedPermutations(str);


// This code is contributed by phasing17

Output

ABCC
ACBC
ACCB
BACC
BCAC
BCCA
CABC
CACB
CBAC
CBCA
CCAB
CCBA

The above code is taken from a comment below by Mr. Lazy.
Time Complexity: O(n² * n!) 
Auxiliary Space: O(1)

The above algorithm is in the time complexity of O(n2 * n!)  but we can achieve a better time complexity of O(n!*n) which was there in the case of all distinct characters in the input by some modification in that algorithm. The distinct characters algorithm can be found here – https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/write-a-c-program-to-print-all-permutations-of-a-given-string/

Efficient Approach: In our recursive function to find all permutations, we can use unordered_set for taking care of duplicate element remaining in the active string. While iterating over the elements of the string, we will check for that element in the unordered_set and if it found then we will skip that iteration or otherwise we will insert that element into unordered_set. As on an average all the unordered_set operations like insert() and find() are in O(1) time then the algorithm time complexity will not change by using unordered_set.

The algorithm implementation is as follows – 

C++

#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;

void printAllPermutationsFast(string s, string l)
{
    if (s.length() < 1)
        cout << l + s << endl;
    unordered_set<char> uset;
    for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++)
    {
        if (uset.find(s[i]) != uset.end())
            continue;
        else
            uset.insert(s[i]);
        string temp = "";
        if (i < s.length() - 1)
            temp = s.substr(0, i) + s.substr(i + 1);
        else
            temp = s.substr(0, i);
        printAllPermutationsFast(temp, l + s[i]);
    }
}

int main()
{
    string s = "ACBC";
    sort(s.begin(), s.end());
    printAllPermutationsFast(s, "");
    return 0;
}

// This code is contributed by Aditya Kumar (adityakumar129)

Java

// Java code to implement the approach
import java.util.*;

class GFG
{

    // Method to print all the permutations
    static void printAllPermutationsFast(String s, String l)
    {
        if (s.length() < 1)
            System.out.println(l + s);

        // Set of the characters of the  permutation
        HashSet<Character> uset = new HashSet<Character>();

        // Iterating over the string characters
        for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++)
        {

            // If this permutation has already been
            // created, form the next permutation
            if (uset.contains(s.charAt(i)))
                continue;
            else
                // Otherwise, update the set
                uset.add(s.charAt(i));

            // Create the permutation that contains the ith
            // character and the permutation that does not
            // contain the ith character
            String temp = "";
            if (i < s.length() - 1)
                temp = s.substring(0, i)
                       + s.substring(i + 1);
            else
                temp = s.substring(0, i);
            printAllPermutationsFast(temp, l + s.charAt(i));
        }
    }

    // Driver method
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        String s = "ACBC";

        // Sorting the string
        // using char array
        char[] arr = s.toCharArray();
        Arrays.sort(arr);
        s = new String(arr);

        // Function call
        printAllPermutationsFast(s, "");
    }
}

// This code is contributed by phasing17

Python3

# Python3 code for the same approach
def printAllPermutationsFast(s, l):

    if (len(s) < 1):
        print(l + s)

    uset = set()

    for i in range(len(s)):
        if s[i] in uset:
            continue
        else:
            uset.add(s[i])

        temp = "";
        if (i < len(s) - 1):
            temp = s[:i] + s[i + 1:]
        else:
            temp = s[:i]

        printAllPermutationsFast(temp, l + s[i])

# Driver code
s = "ACBC";
s =  "".join(sorted(s))
printAllPermutationsFast(s, "")

# This code is contributed by phasing17

C#

// C# code to implement the approach
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class GFG
{
  // Method to print all the permutations
  static void printAllPermutationsFast(string s, string l)
  {
    if (s.Length < 1)
      Console.WriteLine(l + s);

    // Set of the characters of the  permutation
    HashSet<char> uset = new HashSet<char>();

    // Iterating over the string characters
    for (int i = 0; i < s.Length; i++)
    {
      // If this permutation has already been
      // created, form the next permutation
      if (uset.Contains(s[i]))
        continue;
      else
        // Otherwise, update the set
        uset.Add(s[i]);

      // Create the permutation that contains the ith character
      // and the permutation that does not contain the ith
      // character
      string temp = "";
      if (i < s.Length - 1)
        temp = s.Substring(0, i) + s.Substring(i + 1);
      else
        temp = s.Substring(0, i);
      printAllPermutationsFast(temp, l + s[i]);
    }
  }

  // Driver method
  public static void Main(string[] args)
  {
    string s = "ACBC";

    // Sorting the string
    // using char array
    char[] arr = s.ToCharArray();
    Array.Sort(arr);
    s = new string(arr);

    // Function call
    printAllPermutationsFast(s, "");
  }
}

// This code is contributed by phasing17

Javascript

<script>

// JavaScript code for the same approach

function printAllPermutationsFast(s, l)
{
    if (s.length < 1) {
        document.write(l + s,"</br>");
    }
    let uset = new Set();
    for (let i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {
        if (uset.has(s[i]) == true) {
            continue;
        }
        else {
            uset.add(s[i]);
        }
        let temp = "";
        if (i < s.length - 1) {
            temp = s.substring(0, i) + s.substring(i + 1);
        }
        else {
            temp = s.substring(0, i);
        }
        printAllPermutationsFast(temp, l + s[i]);
    }
}

// driver code
let s = "ACBC";
s = s.split("").sort().join("");
printAllPermutationsFast(s, "");

// This code is contributed by shinjanpatra.
</script>

Output

ABCC
ACBC
ACCB
BACC
BCAC
BCCA
CABC
CACB
CBAC
CBCA
CCAB
CCBA

Time Complexity – O(n*n!)
Auxiliary Space – O(n)

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