Cracking the Coding Chpt 1.5 Is One Edit Away

IsOneAway.java

// pale, ple -> true 
// pales, pale -> true 
// pale, bale -> true 
// pale, bake -> false 
boolean isOneAway(String a, String b) {
	int aLength = a.length(); 
	int bLength = b.length(); 

	int shortIndex = 0; 
	int longIndex = 0; 

	if(Math.abs(aLength - bLength) > 1) {
		return false; 
	}

	String shorter = a.length() < b.length() ? a : b; 
	String longer = b.length() < b.length() ? b : a; 

	boolean foundEdit = false; 
	while(shortIndex < aLength && longIndex < bLength) {
		if(shorter.charAt(shortIndex) != longer.charAt(longIndex)) {
			if(foundEdit) {
				return false; 
			}

			foundEdit = true; 
			if(aLength == bLength) {
				++shortIndex; 
			}
		} 
		else {
			// no edits 
			++longIndex; 
		}

		++longIndex; 
	}

	return true;
}