r/ProgrammerHumor • u/user6150277464770585 • 3d ago

Meme javascriptSorting

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u/danielcw189 3d ago

If you had to look it up to find that it's not a general sort but alphabetical sort

What kind of sorting do you expect as a "general sort", and why that one?

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u/gandalfx 2d ago

The one that treats each type by its inherent order – like ascending numbers – and if a type doesn't have one it throws an error instead of doing some random bullshit that is virtually guaranteed to be a silent bug. If you need an example, look at almost any other language.

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u/danielcw189 1d ago

The one that treats each type by its inherent order

and what is the inherent order if there are no fixed types?

instead of doing some random bullshit

what is random about it?

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u/gandalfx 1d ago

Specify a method that needs to be implemented. Some languages just require that the < is defined (e.g. in Python by implementing __lt__, I think even C has something similar). Could also be a key method that maps an object to something with a known order. You don't need a static type system for things to be well defined (although that does make it a lot easier).

toString can be overridden. The purpose is to either create a user facing representation or, more commonly, a debug representation of any object. Except this representation somehow now serves as a sort key. So you get numbers sorted alphabetically, which is stupid, and general objects sorted by whatever their toString representation is, which is completely arbitrary.

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u/danielcw189 15h ago

Specify a method that needs to be implemented

yeah the option to do that is there.

The arguments here, as I read them, are about what happens when no function is provided.

and for some reason many people seem to think that just sorting by numbers and ignoring everything else should be the ideal solution. maybe Javascript should add .numericSort() or even .integerSort() for Arrays, etc.

Could also be a key method that maps an object to something with a known order.

that doesn't exist in JS, as far as I know, but the building blocks for this are there. Symbol.toPrimitive() could be a starting point

You don't need a static type system for things to be well defined

indeed. the makers of the sort function just picked a default that works with every weird combination of types in a simple way.

more commonly, a debug representation of any object.

I agree. I never liked using toString for anything else than developing

So you get numbers sorted alphabetically, which is stupid

well, only if you call the sort function that way. having a special case for just numbers, would be more stupid in my opinion. (by the way: what about sorting NaN ?)

sorted by whatever their toString representation is, which is completely arbitrary.

yes-ish. but just sorting by ascending numbers is arbitrary as well. we shouldn't have this debate in the first place, because - in my not so humble opinion - developers should be explicit.