Array

`Array.prototype.sort`

Sorts the elements of an array in place and returns the sorted array

Syntax

JavaScript

array.sort(compareFn?)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
compareFn	(a, b) => number	Function that defines the sort order. Return negative if a < b, positive if a > b, 0 if equal

Return Value

The sorted array (same reference)

Examples

Basic Usage

const numbers = [3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9];
numbers.sort((a, b) => a - b);
console.log(numbers); // [1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 9]

Practical Example

const words = ['banana', 'apple', 'cherry'];
words.sort();
console.log(words); // ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

Advanced Usage

const users = [
  { name: 'Charlie', age: 25 },
  { name: 'Alice', age: 30 },
];
users.sort((a, b) => a.age - b.age);
console.log(users[0].name); // 'Charlie'

Understanding Array.prototype.sort

The Array.prototype.sort method in JavaScript sorts the elements of an array in place and returns the sorted array. It belongs to the Array object and is one of the most widely used methods for working with array values in modern JavaScript and TypeScript applications.

The method signature is array.sort(compareFn?). It accepts 1 parameter: compareFn. When called, it returns the sorted array (same reference). Understanding when and how to use sort() helps you write more expressive, readable code.

Common use cases for Array.prototype.sort include data transformation, input validation, API response processing, and building reusable utility functions. It works well alongside related methods like array-tosorted, array-reverse, array-toreversed, enabling you to chain operations together for complex data manipulation pipelines.

Browser support for Array.prototype.sort is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. It is also fully supported in Node.js and Deno. For older environments, transpilation with Babel or a polyfill may be needed.