Welcome to 🌲 natural-orderby

Lightweight (< 1.6kB gzipped) and performant natural sorting of arrays and collections by differentiating between unicode characters, numbers, dates, etc.

People sort strings containing numbers differently than most sorting algorithms, which sort values by comparing strings in Unicode code point order. This produces an ordering that is inconsistent with human logic.

natural-orderby sorts the primitive values of Boolean, Null, Undefined, Number or String type as well as Date objects. When comparing strings it differentiates between unicode characters, integer, floating as well as hexadecimal numbers, various date formats, etc. You may sort flat or nested arrays or arrays of objects in a natural sorting order using natural-orderby.

In addition to the efficient and fast orderBy() method natural-orderby also provides the method compare(), which may be passed to Array.prototype.sort().

Contents

• Getting Started
• Usage
• API Reference
• TypeScript Declarations
• Credits
• License

---

Getting Started

1# npm
2npm install natural-orderby --save
3
4# yarn
5yarn add natural-orderby

If you´re not using a module bundler or package manager there´s also a global ("IIFE") build hosted on the unpkg CDN. Simply add the following <script> tag to the bottom of your HTML file:

1<script src="https://unpkg.com/natural-orderby/dist/umd/natural-orderby.production.min.js"></script>

Once you've added natural-orderby you will have access to the global window.naturalOrderBy variable.

Usage

1// Using ES modules
2import { orderBy } from 'natural-orderby';
3
4// Using CommonJS modules
5// const { orderBy } = require('natural-orderby');
6
7const users = [
8  {
9    username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
10    ip: '192.168.5.2',
11    datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)'
12  },
13  {
14    username: 'Wilma',
15    ip: '192.168.10.1',
16    datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT'
17  },
18  {
19    username: 'Dino',
20    ip: '192.168.0.2',
21    datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00'
22  },
23  {
24    username: 'Barney',
25    ip: '192.168.1.1',
26    datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT'
27  },
28  {
29    username: 'Pebbles',
30    ip: '192.168.1.21',
31    datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC'
32  },
33  {
34    username: 'Hoppy',
35    ip: '192.168.5.10',
36    datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z'
37  },
38];
39
40const sortedUsers = orderBy(
41  users,
42  [v => v.datetime, v => v.ip],
43  ['desc', 'asc']
44);

This is the return value of orderBy():

1[
2  {
3    username: 'Dino',
4    ip: '192.168.0.2',
5    datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00',
6  },
7  {
8    username: 'Pebbles',
9    ip: '192.168.1.21',
10    datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC',
11  },
12  {
13    username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
14    ip: '192.168.5.2',
15    datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)',
16  },
17  {
18    username: 'Hoppy',
19    ip: '192.168.5.10',
20    datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z',
21  },
22  {
23    username: 'Barney',
24    ip: '192.168.1.1',
25    datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT',
26  },
27  {
28    username: 'Wilma',
29    ip: '192.168.10.1',
30    datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT',
31  },
32];

API Reference

orderBy()

Creates an array of elements, natural sorted by specified identifiers and the corresponding sort orders. This method implements a stable sort algorithm, which means the original sort order of equal elements is preserved. It also avoids the high overhead caused by Array.prototype.sort() invoking a compare function multiple times per element within the array.

Syntax

1orderBy<T>(
2  collection: ReadonlyArray<T>,
3  identifiers?: ReadonlyArray<Identifier<T>> | Identifier<T> | null,
4  orders?: ReadonlyArray<Order> | Order | null
5  locale?: string
6): Array<T>

Type	Value
Identifier<T>	keyof T | number | (value: T) => unknown
Order	'asc' | 'desc' | (valueA: unknown, valueB: unknown) => number

Description

orderBy() sorts the elements of an array by specified identifiers and the corresponding sort orders in a natural order and returns a new array containing the sorted elements.

If collection is an array of primitives, identifiers may be unspecified. Otherwise, you should specify identifiers to sort by or collection will be returned unsorted. An identifier can be expressed by:

• an index position, if collection is a nested array,
• a property name, if collection is an array of objects,
• a function which returns a particular value from an element of a nested array or an array of objects. This function will be invoked by passing one element of collection.

If orders is unspecified, all values are sorted in ascending order. Otherwise, specify an order of 'desc' for descending or 'asc' for ascending sort order of corresponding values. You may also specify a compare function for an order, which will be invoked by two arguments: (valueA, valueB). It must return a number representing the sort order.

If you want to sort unicode strings according to a specific locale, please provide a string value for locale with a BCP 47 language tag. If the argument is unspecified, the host locale setting will be used.

Note: orderBy() always returns a new array, even if the original was already sorted.

Examples

1import { orderBy } from 'natural-orderby';
2
3// Simple numerics
4
5orderBy(['10', 9, 2, '1', '4']);
6// => ['1', 2, '4', 9, '10']
7
8
9// Floats
10
11orderBy(['10.0401', 10.022, 10.042, '10.021999']);
12// => ['10.021999', 10.022, '10.0401', 10.042]
13
14
15// Float & decimal notation
16
17orderBy(['10.04f', '10.039F', '10.038d', '10.037D']);
18// => ['10.037D', '10.038d', '10.039F', '10.04f']
19
20
21// Scientific notation
22
23orderBy(['1.528535047e5', '1.528535047e7', '1.528535047e3']);
24// => ['1.528535047e3', '1.528535047e5', '1.528535047e7']
25
26
27// IP addresses
28
29orderBy(['192.168.201.100', '192.168.201.12', '192.168.21.1']);
30// => ['192.168.21.1', '192.168.201.12', '192.168.21.100']
31
32
33// Filenames
34
35orderBy(['01asset_0815.png', 'asset_47103.jpg', 'asset_151.jpg', '001asset_4711.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4']);
36// => ['001asset_4711.jpg', '01asset_0815.png', 'asset_151.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4', 'asset_47103.jpg']
37
38// Filenames - ordered by extension and filename
39
40orderBy(
41    ['01asset_0815.png', 'asset_47103.jpg', 'asset_151.jpg', '001asset_4711.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4'],[v => v.split('.').pop(), v => v]
42);
43// => ['001asset_4711.jpg', 'asset_151.jpg', 'asset_47103.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4', '01asset_0815.png']
44
45
46// Dates
47
48orderBy(['10/12/2018', '10/11/2018', '10/11/2017', '10/12/2017']);
49// => ['10/11/2017', '10/12/2017', '10/11/2018', '10/12/2018']
50
51orderBy(['Thu, 15 Jun 2017 20:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 3 May 2018 17:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 15 Jun 2017 17:45:30 GMT']);
52// => ['Thu, 15 Jun 2017 17:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 15 Jun 2018 20:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 3 May 2018 17:45:30 GMT']
53
54
55// Money
56
57orderBy(['$102.00', '$21.10', '$101.02', '$101.01']);
58// => ['$21.10', '$101.01', '$101.02', '$102.00']
59
60
61// Case-insensitive sort order
62
63orderBy(['A', 'C', 'E', 'b', 'd', 'f']);
64// => ['A', 'b', 'C', 'd', 'E', 'f']
65
66
67// Default ascending sort order
68
69orderBy(['a', 'c', 'f', 'd', 'e', 'b']);
70// => ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f']
71
72
73// Descending sort order
74
75orderBy(['a', 'c', 'f', 'd', 'e', 'b'], null, ['desc']);
76// => ['f', 'e', 'd', 'c', 'b', 'a']
77
78
79// Custom compare function
80
81orderBy([2, 1, 5, 8, 6, 9], null, [(valueA, valueB) => valueA - valueB]);
82// => [1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9]
83
84
85// collections
86
87const users = [
88  {
89    username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
90    ip: '192.168.5.2',
91    datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)'
92  },
93  {
94    username: 'Wilma',
95    ip: '192.168.10.1',
96    datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT'
97  },
98  {
99    username: 'Dino',
100    ip: '192.168.0.2',
101    datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00'
102  },
103  {
104    username: 'Barney',
105    ip: '192.168.1.1',
106    datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT'
107  },
108  {
109    username: 'Pebbles',
110    ip: '192.168.1.21',
111    datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC'
112  },
113  {
114    username: 'Hoppy',
115    ip: '192.168.5.10',
116    datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z'
117  },
118];
119
120orderBy(
121  users,
122  [v => v.datetime, v => v.ip],
123  ['desc', 'asc']
124);
125// => [
126//      {
127//        username: 'Dino',
128//        ip: '192.168.0.2',
129//        datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00',
130//      },
131//      {
132//        username: 'Pebbles',
133//        ip: '192.168.1.21',
134//        datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC',
135//      },
136//      {
137//        username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
138//        ip: '192.168.5.2',
139//        datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)',
140//      },
141//      {
142//        username: 'Hoppy',
143//        ip: '192.168.5.10',
144//        datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z',
145//      },
146//      {
147//        username: 'Barney',
148//        ip: '192.168.1.1',
149//        datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT',
150//      },
151//      {
152//        username: 'Wilma',
153//        ip: '192.168.10.1',
154//        datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT',
155//      },
156//    ]

compare()

Creates a compare function that defines the natural sort order and which may be passed to Array.prototype.sort().

Syntax

1compare(options?: CompareOptions): CompareFn

Type	Value
CompareOptions	{ order?: 'asc' | 'desc', locale?: string }
CompareFn	(valueA: unknown, valueB: unknown) => number

Description

compare() returns a compare function that defines the natural sort order and which may be passed to Array.prototype.sort().

If options or its property order is unspecified, values are sorted in ascending sort order. Otherwise, specify an order of 'desc' for descending or 'asc' for ascending sort order of values. If unicode strings should be ordered corresponding to a specific locale setting, specify the according value for the options property locale. It must be a string with a BCP 47 language tag. If the argument is unspecified, the host locale setting will be used.

Examples

1import { compare } from 'natural-orderby';
2
3// Simple numerics
4
5['10', 9, 2, '1', '4'].sort(compare());
6// => ['1', 2, '4', 9, '10']
7
8
9// Floats
10
11['10.0401', 10.022, 10.042, '10.021999'].sort(compare());
12// => ['10.021999', 10.022, '10.0401', 10.042]
13
14
15// Float & decimal notation
16
17['10.04f', '10.039F', '10.038d', '10.037D'].sort(compare());
18// => ['10.037D', '10.038d', '10.039F', '10.04f']
19
20
21// Scientific notation
22
23['1.528535047e5', '1.528535047e7', '1.528535047e3'].sort(compare());
24// => ['1.528535047e3', '1.528535047e5', '1.528535047e7']
25
26
27// IP addresses
28
29['192.168.201.100', '192.168.201.12', '192.168.21.1'].sort(compare());
30// => ['192.168.21.1', '192.168.201.12', '192.168.21.100']
31
32
33// Filenames
34
35['01asset_0815.jpg', 'asset_47103.jpg', 'asset_151.jpg', '001asset_4711.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4'].sort(compare());
36// => ['001asset_4711.jpg', '01asset_0815.jpg', 'asset_151.jpg', 'asset_342.mp4', 'asset_47103.jpg']
37
38
39// Dates
40
41['10/12/2018', '10/11/2018', '10/11/2017', '10/12/2017'].sort(compare());
42// => ['10/11/2017', '10/12/2017', '10/11/2018', '10/12/2018']
43
44['Thu, 15 Jun 2017 20:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 3 May 2018 17:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 15 Jun 2017 17:45:30 GMT'].sort(compare());
45// => ['Thu, 15 Jun 2017 17:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 15 Jun 2018 20:45:30 GMT', 'Thu, 3 May 2018 17:45:30 GMT']
46
47
48// Money
49
50['$102.00', '$21.10', '$101.02', '$101.01'].sort(compare());
51// => ['$21.10', '$101.01', '$101.02', '$102.00']
52
53
54// Case-insensitive sort order
55
56['A', 'C', 'E', 'b', 'd', 'f'].sort(compare());
57// => ['A', 'b', 'C', 'd', 'E', 'f']
58
59
60// Default ascending sort order
61
62['a', 'c', 'f', 'd', 'e', 'b'].sort(compare());
63// => ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f']
64
65
66// Descending sort order
67
68['a', 'c', 'f', 'd', 'e', 'b'].sort(compare({ order: 'desc' }));
69// => ['f', 'e', 'd', 'c', 'b', 'a']
70
71
72// collections
73
74const users = [
75  {
76    username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
77    lastLogin: {
78      ip: '192.168.5.2',
79      datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)'
80    },
81  },
82  {
83    username: 'Wilma',
84    lastLogin: {
85      ip: '192.168.10.1',
86      datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT'
87    },
88  },
89  {
90    username: 'Dino',
91    lastLogin: {
92      ip: '192.168.0.2',
93      datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00'
94    },
95  },
96  {
97    username: 'Barney',
98    lastLogin: {
99      ip: '192.168.1.1',
100      datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT'
101    },
102  },
103  {
104    username: 'Pebbles',
105    lastLogin: {
106      ip: '192.168.1.21',
107      datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC'
108    },
109  },
110  {
111    username: 'Hoppy',
112    lastLogin: {
113      ip: '192.168.5.10',
114      datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z'
115    },
116  },
117];
118
119users.sort((a, b) => compare()(a.lastLogin.ip, b.lastLogin.ip));
120// => [
121//      {
122//        username: 'Dino',
123//        lastLogin: {
124//          ip: '192.168.0.2',
125//          datetime: 'June 15, 2018 14:48:00'
126//        },
127//      },
128//      {
129//        username: 'Barney',
130//        lastLogin: {
131//          ip: '192.168.1.1',
132//          datetime: 'Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:00:00 GMT'
133//        },
134//      },
135//      {
136//        username: 'Pebbles',
137//        lastLogin: {
138//          ip: '192.168.1.21',
139//          datetime: '15 June 2018 14:48 UTC'
140//        },
141//      },
142//      {
143//        username: 'Bamm-Bamm',
144//        lastLogin: {
145//          ip: '192.168.5.2',
146//          datetime: 'Fri Jun 15 2018 16:48:00 GMT+0200 (CEST)'
147//        },
148//      },
149//      {
150//        username: 'Hoppy',
151//        lastLogin: {
152//          ip: '192.168.5.10',
153//          datetime: '2018-06-15T14:48:00.000Z'
154//        },
155//      },
156//      {
157//        username: 'Wilma',
158//        lastLogin: {
159//          ip: '192.168.10.1',
160//          datetime: '14 Jun 2018 00:00:00 PDT'
161//        },
162//      },
163//    ]

TypeScript Declarations

natural-orderby is completely written in TypeScript and provides TypeScript declarations.

Credits

Inspired by The Alphanum Algorithm from Dave Koelle.

License

Licensed under the MIT License, Copyright © 2018 - present Olaf Ennen.

See LICENSE for more information.