sort() in Python

Like C++ sort(), Java sort() and other languages, python also provides built in function to sort.

The sort function can be used to sort the list in both ascending and descending order.

To sort the list in ascending order.



Syntax

List_name.sort()
This will sort the given list in ascending order.

This function can be used to sort list of integers, floating point number, string and others.

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# List of Integers
numbers = [1, 3, 4, 2]
  
# Sorting list of Integers
numbers.sort()
  
print(numbers)
  
# List of Floating point numbers
decimalnumber = [2.01, 2.00, 3.67, 3.28, 1.68]
  
# Sorting list of Floating point numbers
decimalnumber.sort()
  
print(decimalnumber)
  
# List of strings
words = ["Geeks", "For", "Geeks"]
  
# Sorting list of strings
words.sort()
  
print(words)

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Output:


[1, 2, 3, 4]
[1.68, 2.0, 2.01, 3.28, 3.67]
['For', 'Geeks', 'Geeks']




To sort the list in descending order.


Syntax


list_name.sort(reverse=True)
This will sort the given list in descending order.












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# List of Integers 


numbers = [1, 3, 4, 2] 


  


# Sorting list of Integers 


numbers.sort(reverse=True) 


  


print(numbers) 


  


# List of Floating point numbers 


decimalnumber = [2.01, 2.00, 3.67, 3.28, 1.68] 


  


# Sorting list of Floating point numbers 


decimalnumber.sort(reverse=True) 


  


print(decimalnumber) 


  


# List of strings 


words = ["Geeks", "For", "Geeks"] 


  


# Sorting list of strings 


words.sort(reverse=True) 


  


print(words) 



















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Output:


[4, 3, 2, 1]
[3.67, 3.28, 2.01, 2.0, 1.68]
['Geeks', 'Geeks', 'For']


Syntax : 


list_name.sort() – it sorts in ascending order

list_name.sort(reverse=True) – it sorts in descending order

list_name.sort(key=…, reverse=…) – it sorts according to user’s choice 


Parameters: 

By default, sort() doesn’t require any extra parameters. However, it has two optional parameters:


reverse  – If true, the list is sorted in descending order

key  – function that serves as a key for the sort comparison 


Return value: 


It returns a sorted list according to the passed parameter.











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# Python program to demonstrate sorting by user's 


# choice 


  


# function to return the second element of the 


# two elements passed as the paramater 


def sortSecond(val): 


    return val[1]  


  


# list1 to demonstrate the use of sorting  


# using using second key  


list1 = [(1,2),(3,3),(1,1)] 


  


# sorts the array in ascending according to  


# second element 


list1.sort(key=sortSecond)  


print(list1) 


  


# sorts the array in descending according to 


# second element 


list1.sort(key=sortSecond,reverse=True) 


print(list1) 



















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Output:


[(1, 1), (1, 2), (3, 3)]
[(3, 3), (1, 2), (1, 1)]



Thanks to striver for inputs on this topic.



          
          
          
          

            

    

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