
Sorting Algorithm

This is a sorting algorithm.   It may be applied to a set of data in order to sort it.    
For comparing various sorts, see compare sorts.  
For other sorting algorithms,   see sorting algorithms,   or:

O(n logn) sorts
Heap sort |
Merge sort |
Patience sort |
Quick sort
O(n log2n) sorts
Shell Sort
O(n2) sorts
Bubble sort |
Cocktail sort |
Cocktail sort with shifting bounds |
Comb sort |
Cycle sort |
Gnome sort |
Insertion sort |
Selection sort |
Strand sort
other sorts
Bead sort |
Bogo sort |
Common sorted list |
Composite structures sort |
Custom comparator sort |
Counting sort |
Disjoint sublist sort |
External sort |
Jort sort |
Lexicographical sort |
Natural sorting |
Order by pair comparisons |
Order disjoint list items |
Order two numerical lists |
Object identifier (OID) sort |
Pancake sort |
Quickselect |
Permutation sort |
Radix sort |
Ranking methods |
Remove duplicate elements |
Sleep sort |
Stooge sort |
[Sort letters of a string] |
Three variable sort |
Topological sort |
Tree sort


Sort an array of composite structures by a key.



For example, if you define a composite structure that presents a name-value pair (in pseudo-code):

Define structure pair such that: 
   name as a string
   value as a string

and an array of such pairs:

   x: array of pairs

then define a sort routine that sorts the array x by the key name.

This task can always be accomplished with Sorting Using a Custom Comparator.

If your language is not listed here, please see the other article.




 
#lang racket
 
(define data '([Joe 5531] [Adam 2341] [Bernie 122] [Walter 1234] [David 19]))
 
(sort data < #:key cadr)
;; --> '((David 19) (Bernie 122) (Walter 1234) (Adam 2341) (Joe 5531))
 
;; Demonstrating a "key" that is not just a direct element
(sort data string<? #:key (compose1 symbol->string car))
;; --> '((Adam 2341) (Bernie 122) (David 19) (Joe 5531) (Walter 1234))
 