yq/operators/sort.md

# Sort

Sorts an array. Use `sort` to sort an array as is, or `sort_by` to sort by a particular subfield.

Note that at this stage, `yq` only sorts scalar fields.

## Sort by string field
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
- a: banana
- a: cat
- a: apple
```
then
```bash
yq eval 'sort_by(.a)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
- a: apple
- a: banana
- a: cat
```

## Sort is stable
Note the order of the elements in unchanged when equal in sorting.

Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
- a: banana
  b: 1
- a: banana
  b: 2
- a: banana
  b: 3
- a: banana
  b: 4
```
then
```bash
yq eval 'sort_by(.a)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
- a: banana
  b: 1
- a: banana
  b: 2
- a: banana
  b: 3
- a: banana
  b: 4
```

## Sort by numeric field
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
- a: 10
- a: 100
- a: 1
```
then
```bash
yq eval 'sort_by(.a)' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
- a: 1
- a: 10
- a: 100
```

## Sort, nulls come first
Given a sample.yml file of:
```yaml
- 8
- 3
- null
- 6
- true
- false
- cat
```
then
```bash
yq eval 'sort' sample.yml
```
will output
```yaml
- null
- false
- true
- 3
- 6
- 8
- cat
```