如當我們想在a，b，c，d，e這四個節點的d之前c之後插入一個z節點。（diff演算法原始碼詳見後續updateChildren）

如上圖所示，當我們不是給於key值的時候，由於沒有key值不知道當前具體在更新誰，因此做的操作就是見到誰就更新誰。具體過程：先更新a，b，c(這三個的跟新同有key值更新操作一樣)，但因為沒有key值到d的時候不清楚是不是自己（後續sameVnode方法中key均為undefined，tag等其他資訊卻一致返回true），但只能認為是自己，所以只好覆蓋更新再把後的e更新到d，更新完後再建立新的追加到後面。在這個過程中進行了五次更新操作，一次追加操作。

上圖是使用key值的情況，前三個一樣不再說，到d和z比較時發現不一樣，由於原始碼中首尾判斷假猜策略發現尾部的e和d對應相同，就從後開始更新，到最後只剩下z，再最後建立新的z追加到相應位置（c的後面）。在這個過程中也進行了五次更新操作，一次追加操作。

所以說key的作用主要是為了高效的更新虛擬DOM。

原始碼：

sameVnode定義：

function sameVnode (a, b) {
  return (
    a.key === b.key && (
      (
        a.tag 
 
=== b.tag &&
        a.isComment === b.isComment &&
        isDef(a.data) === isDef(b.data) &&
        sameInputType(a, b)
      ) || (
        isTrue(a.isAsyncPlaceholder) &&
        a.asyncFactory === b.asyncFactory &&
        isUndef(b.asyncFactory.error)
      )
    )
  )
}
 

updateChildren：

function updateChildren (parentElm, oldCh, newCh, insertedVnodeQueue, removeOnly) {
    let oldStartIdx = 0
    let newStartIdx = 0
    let oldEndIdx = oldCh.length - 1
    let oldStartVnode = oldCh[0]
    let oldEndVnode = oldCh[oldEndIdx]
    let newEndIdx = newCh.length - 1
    let newStartVnode = newCh[0]
    let newEndVnode = newCh[newEndIdx]
    let oldKeyToIdx, idxInOld, vnodeToMove, refElm

    // removeOnly is a special flag used only by <transition-group>
    // to ensure removed elements stay in correct relative positions
    // during leaving transitions
    const canMove = !removeOnly

    if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production') {
      checkDuplicateKeys(newCh)
    }

    while (oldStartIdx <= oldEndIdx && newStartIdx <= newEndIdx) {
      if (isUndef(oldStartVnode)) {
        oldStartVnode = oldCh[++oldStartIdx] // Vnode has been moved left
      } else if (isUndef(oldEndVnode)) {
        oldEndVnode = oldCh[--oldEndIdx]
      } else if (sameVnode(oldStartVnode, newStartVnode)) {
        patchVnode(oldStartVnode, newStartVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, newCh, newStartIdx)
        oldStartVnode = oldCh[++oldStartIdx]
        newStartVnode = newCh[++newStartIdx]
      } else if (sameVnode(oldEndVnode, newEndVnode)) {
        patchVnode(oldEndVnode, newEndVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, newCh, newEndIdx)
        oldEndVnode = oldCh[--oldEndIdx]
        newEndVnode = newCh[--newEndIdx]
      } else if (sameVnode(oldStartVnode, newEndVnode)) { // Vnode moved right
        patchVnode(oldStartVnode, newEndVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, newCh, newEndIdx)
        canMove && nodeOps.insertBefore(parentElm, oldStartVnode.elm, nodeOps.nextSibling(oldEndVnode.elm))
        oldStartVnode = oldCh[++oldStartIdx]
        newEndVnode = newCh[--newEndIdx]
      } else if (sameVnode(oldEndVnode, newStartVnode)) { // Vnode moved left
        patchVnode(oldEndVnode, newStartVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, newCh, newStartIdx)
        canMove && nodeOps.insertBefore(parentElm, oldEndVnode.elm, oldStartVnode.elm)
        oldEndVnode = oldCh[--oldEndIdx]
        newStartVnode = newCh[++newStartIdx]
      } else {
        if (isUndef(oldKeyToIdx)) oldKeyToIdx = createKeyToOldIdx(oldCh, oldStartIdx, oldEndIdx)
        idxInOld = isDef(newStartVnode.key)
          ? oldKeyToIdx[newStartVnode.key]
          : findIdxInOld(newStartVnode, oldCh, oldStartIdx, oldEndIdx)
        if (isUndef(idxInOld)) { // New element
          createElm(newStartVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, parentElm, oldStartVnode.elm, false, newCh, newStartIdx)
        } else {
          vnodeToMove = oldCh[idxInOld]
          if (sameVnode(vnodeToMove, newStartVnode)) {
            patchVnode(vnodeToMove, newStartVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, newCh, newStartIdx)
            oldCh[idxInOld] = undefined
            canMove && nodeOps.insertBefore(parentElm, vnodeToMove.elm, oldStartVnode.elm)
          } else {
            // same key but different element. treat as new element
            createElm(newStartVnode, insertedVnodeQueue, parentElm, oldStartVnode.elm, false, newCh, newStartIdx)
          }
        }
        newStartVnode = newCh[++newStartIdx]
      }
    }
    if (oldStartIdx > oldEndIdx) {
      refElm = isUndef(newCh[newEndIdx + 1]) ? null : newCh[newEndIdx + 1].elm
      addVnodes(parentElm, refElm, newCh, newStartIdx, newEndIdx, insertedVnodeQueue)
    } else if (newStartIdx > newEndIdx) {
      removeVnodes(oldCh, oldStartIdx, oldEndIdx)
    }
  }