JavaScript Sorting Arrays
Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2023 9:07 am
JavaScript Sorting Arrays
Sorting an Array
The sort() method sorts an array alphabetically:
Example
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();
Try it Yourself »
Reversing an Array
The reverse() method reverses the elements in an array.
You can use it to
sort an array in descending order:
Example
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();
fruits.reverse();
Try it Yourself »
Numeric Sort
By default, the sort() function sorts values as strings.
This works well for strings ("Apple" comes before "Banana").
However, if numbers are sorted as strings, "25" is bigger than "100",
because "2" is bigger than "1".
Because of this, the sort() method will produce incorrect result when sorting
numbers.
You can fix this by providing a compare function:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return a - b});
Try it Yourself »
Use the same trick to sort an array descending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return b - a});
Try it Yourself »
The Compare Function
The purpose of the compare function is to define an alternative sort
order.
The compare function should return a negative, zero, or positive value, depending on
the arguments:
function(a, b){return a - b}
When the sort() function compares two values, it sends the values to the
compare function, and sorts the values according to the returned (negative,
zero, positive) value.
If the result is negative, a is sorted before
b.
If the result is positive, b is sorted
before a.
If the result is 0, no changes are done with the sort order of the two
values.
Example:
The compare function compares all the values in the array, two values at a
time (a, b).
When comparing 40 and 100, the sort() method calls the compare function(40, 100).
The function calculates 40 - 100 (a - b), and
since the result is negative (-60), the sort function will sort 40 as a value lower than 100.
You can use this code snippet to experiment with numerically and
alphabetically sorting:
<button onclick="myFunction1()">Sort Alphabetically</button><button
onclick="myFunction2()">Sort Numerically</button><p id="demo"></p>
<script>const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = points;function
myFunction1() { points.sort(); document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML
= points;}function myFunction2() { points.sort(function(a, b){return
a - b}); document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = points;}
</script>
Try it Yourself »
Sorting an Array in Random Order
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(){return 0.5 - Math.random()});
Try it Yourself »
The Fisher Yates Method
The above example, array.sort(), is not accurate. It will favor some
numbers over the others.
The most popular correct method, is called the Fisher Yates shuffle, and was
introduced in data science as early as 1938!
In JavaScript the method can be translated to this:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
for (let i = points.length -1; i > 0; i--) {
let j = Math.floor(Math.random() * (i+1));
let k = points;
points = points[j];
points[j] = k;}
Try it Yourself »
Find the Lowest (or Highest) Array Value
There are no built-in functions for finding the max or min
value in an array.
However, after you have sorted an array, you can use the
index to obtain the highest and lowest values.
Sorting ascending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return a - b});
// now points[0] contains the lowest value
// and points[points.length-1] contains the highest value
Try it Yourself »
Sorting descending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return b - a});
// now points[0] contains the highest value
// and points[points.length-1] contains the lowest value
Try it Yourself »
Sorting a whole array is a very inefficient method if you only want to find the highest (or lowest) value.
Using Math.max() on an Array
You can use Math.max.apply to find the highest number in an array:
Example
function myArrayMax(arr) {
return Math.max.apply(null, arr);}
Try it Yourself »
Math.max.apply(null, [1, 2, 3]) is equivalent to Math.max(1, 2, 3).
Using Math.min() on an Array
You can use Math.min.apply to find the lowest number in an array:
Example
function myArrayMin(arr) {
return Math.min.apply(null, arr);}
Try it Yourself »
Math.min.apply(null, [1, 2, 3]) is equivalent to Math.min(1, 2, 3).
My Min / Max JavaScript Methods
The fastest solution is to use a "home made" method.
This function loops through an array comparing each value with the highest
value found:
Example (Find Max)
function myArrayMax(arr) {
let len = arr.length;
let max = -Infinity;
while (len--) {
if (arr[len] > max) {
max = arr[len]; } } return max;}
Try it Yourself »
This function loops through an array comparing each value with the lowest
value found:
Example (Find Min)
function myArrayMin(arr) { let len = arr.length; let min = Infinity; while (len--) {
if (arr[len] < min) {
min = arr[len]; } } return min;}
Try it Yourself »
Sorting Object Arrays
JavaScript arrays often contain objects:
Example
const cars = [
{type:"Volvo", year:2016},
{type:"Saab", year:2001},
{type:"BMW", year:2010}];
Even if objects have properties of different data types, the sort() method
can be used to sort the array.
The solution is to write a compare function to compare the property values:
Example
cars.sort(function(a, b){return a.year - b.year});
Try it Yourself »
Comparing string properties is a little more complex:
Example
cars.sort(function(a, b){
let x = a.type.toLowerCase();
let y = b.type.toLowerCase();
if (x < y) {return -1;}
if (x > y) {return 1;} return 0;});
Try it Yourself »
Stable Array sort()
ES2019 revised the Array sort() method.
Before 2019, the specification allowed unstable sorting algorithms such as QuickSort.
After ES2019, browsers must use a stable sorting algorithm:
When sorting elements on a value, the elements must keep their relative position to other elements with the same value.
Example
const myArr = [
{name:"X00",price:100 },
{name:"X01",price:100 },
{name:"X02",price:100 },
{name:"X03",price:100 },
{name:"X04",price:110 },
{name:"X05",price:110 },
{name:"X06",price:110 },
{name:"X07",price:110 }
];
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, when sorting on price, the result is not allowed to come out with the names
in an other relative position like this:
X01 100
X03 100
X00 100
X03 100
X05 110
X04 110
X06 110
X07 110
Complete Array Reference
For a complete Array reference, go to our:
Complete JavaScript Array Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Array
properties and methods.
Test Yourself With Exercises
Exercise:
Use the correct Array method to sort the fruits array alphabetically.
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Kiwi"];
;
Submit Answer »
Start the Exercise
★
+1
Reference: https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_array_sort.asp
Sorting an Array
The sort() method sorts an array alphabetically:
Example
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();
Try it Yourself »
Reversing an Array
The reverse() method reverses the elements in an array.
You can use it to
sort an array in descending order:
Example
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();
fruits.reverse();
Try it Yourself »
Numeric Sort
By default, the sort() function sorts values as strings.
This works well for strings ("Apple" comes before "Banana").
However, if numbers are sorted as strings, "25" is bigger than "100",
because "2" is bigger than "1".
Because of this, the sort() method will produce incorrect result when sorting
numbers.
You can fix this by providing a compare function:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return a - b});
Try it Yourself »
Use the same trick to sort an array descending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return b - a});
Try it Yourself »
The Compare Function
The purpose of the compare function is to define an alternative sort
order.
The compare function should return a negative, zero, or positive value, depending on
the arguments:
function(a, b){return a - b}
When the sort() function compares two values, it sends the values to the
compare function, and sorts the values according to the returned (negative,
zero, positive) value.
If the result is negative, a is sorted before
b.
If the result is positive, b is sorted
before a.
If the result is 0, no changes are done with the sort order of the two
values.
Example:
The compare function compares all the values in the array, two values at a
time (a, b).
When comparing 40 and 100, the sort() method calls the compare function(40, 100).
The function calculates 40 - 100 (a - b), and
since the result is negative (-60), the sort function will sort 40 as a value lower than 100.
You can use this code snippet to experiment with numerically and
alphabetically sorting:
<button onclick="myFunction1()">Sort Alphabetically</button><button
onclick="myFunction2()">Sort Numerically</button><p id="demo"></p>
<script>const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = points;function
myFunction1() { points.sort(); document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML
= points;}function myFunction2() { points.sort(function(a, b){return
a - b}); document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = points;}
</script>
Try it Yourself »
Sorting an Array in Random Order
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(){return 0.5 - Math.random()});
Try it Yourself »
The Fisher Yates Method
The above example, array.sort(), is not accurate. It will favor some
numbers over the others.
The most popular correct method, is called the Fisher Yates shuffle, and was
introduced in data science as early as 1938!
In JavaScript the method can be translated to this:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
for (let i = points.length -1; i > 0; i--) {
let j = Math.floor(Math.random() * (i+1));
let k = points;
points = points[j];
points[j] = k;}
Try it Yourself »
Find the Lowest (or Highest) Array Value
There are no built-in functions for finding the max or min
value in an array.
However, after you have sorted an array, you can use the
index to obtain the highest and lowest values.
Sorting ascending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return a - b});
// now points[0] contains the lowest value
// and points[points.length-1] contains the highest value
Try it Yourself »
Sorting descending:
Example
const points = [40, 100, 1, 5, 25, 10];
points.sort(function(a, b){return b - a});
// now points[0] contains the highest value
// and points[points.length-1] contains the lowest value
Try it Yourself »
Sorting a whole array is a very inefficient method if you only want to find the highest (or lowest) value.
Using Math.max() on an Array
You can use Math.max.apply to find the highest number in an array:
Example
function myArrayMax(arr) {
return Math.max.apply(null, arr);}
Try it Yourself »
Math.max.apply(null, [1, 2, 3]) is equivalent to Math.max(1, 2, 3).
Using Math.min() on an Array
You can use Math.min.apply to find the lowest number in an array:
Example
function myArrayMin(arr) {
return Math.min.apply(null, arr);}
Try it Yourself »
Math.min.apply(null, [1, 2, 3]) is equivalent to Math.min(1, 2, 3).
My Min / Max JavaScript Methods
The fastest solution is to use a "home made" method.
This function loops through an array comparing each value with the highest
value found:
Example (Find Max)
function myArrayMax(arr) {
let len = arr.length;
let max = -Infinity;
while (len--) {
if (arr[len] > max) {
max = arr[len]; } } return max;}
Try it Yourself »
This function loops through an array comparing each value with the lowest
value found:
Example (Find Min)
function myArrayMin(arr) { let len = arr.length; let min = Infinity; while (len--) {
if (arr[len] < min) {
min = arr[len]; } } return min;}
Try it Yourself »
Sorting Object Arrays
JavaScript arrays often contain objects:
Example
const cars = [
{type:"Volvo", year:2016},
{type:"Saab", year:2001},
{type:"BMW", year:2010}];
Even if objects have properties of different data types, the sort() method
can be used to sort the array.
The solution is to write a compare function to compare the property values:
Example
cars.sort(function(a, b){return a.year - b.year});
Try it Yourself »
Comparing string properties is a little more complex:
Example
cars.sort(function(a, b){
let x = a.type.toLowerCase();
let y = b.type.toLowerCase();
if (x < y) {return -1;}
if (x > y) {return 1;} return 0;});
Try it Yourself »
Stable Array sort()
ES2019 revised the Array sort() method.
Before 2019, the specification allowed unstable sorting algorithms such as QuickSort.
After ES2019, browsers must use a stable sorting algorithm:
When sorting elements on a value, the elements must keep their relative position to other elements with the same value.
Example
const myArr = [
{name:"X00",price:100 },
{name:"X01",price:100 },
{name:"X02",price:100 },
{name:"X03",price:100 },
{name:"X04",price:110 },
{name:"X05",price:110 },
{name:"X06",price:110 },
{name:"X07",price:110 }
];
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, when sorting on price, the result is not allowed to come out with the names
in an other relative position like this:
X01 100
X03 100
X00 100
X03 100
X05 110
X04 110
X06 110
X07 110
Complete Array Reference
For a complete Array reference, go to our:
Complete JavaScript Array Reference.
The reference contains descriptions and examples of all Array
properties and methods.
Test Yourself With Exercises
Exercise:
Use the correct Array method to sort the fruits array alphabetically.
const fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Kiwi"];
;
Submit Answer »
Start the Exercise
★
+1
Reference: https://www.w3schools.com/js/js_array_sort.asp