How to sort mixed numeric/alphanumeric array in JavaScript

Suppose we have an array of alphanumeric strings like this −

const arr = ['A1', 'A10', 'A11', 'A12', 'A3A', 'A3B', 'A3', 'A4', 'B10', 'B2', 'F1', '1', '2', 'F3'];

We are required to write a JavaScript function that in one such array as one and the only argument.

And the function should sort this array inplace −

• The strings that contains only numbers should come first sorted in increasing order.
• The strings containing a combination of alphabets and numbers should be sorted first according to alphabets and then according to numbers in increasing order.

Therefore, the output should look like −

const output = ['1', '2', 'A1', 'A2', 'A3', 'A3A', 'A3B', 'A4', 'A10', 'A11', 'A12', 'B2', 'B10', 'F1', 'F3'];

Example

const arr = ['A1', 'A10', 'A11', 'A12', 'A3A', 'A3B', 'A3', 'A4', 'B10', 'B2', 'F1', '1', '2', 'F3'];
const alphaNumericSort = (arr = []) => {
   const sorter = (a, b) => {
      const isNumber = (v) => (+v).toString() === v;
      const aPart = a.match(/\d+|\D+/g);
      const bPart = b.match(/\d+|\D+/g);
      let i = 0; let len = Math.min(aPart.length, bPart.length);
      while (i < len && aPart[i] === bPart[i]) { i++; };
         if (i === len) {
            return aPart.length - bPart.length;
      };
      if (isNumber(aPart[i]) && isNumber(bPart[i])) {
         return aPart[i] - bPart[i];
      };
      return aPart[i].localeCompare(bPart[i]); };
      arr.sort(sorter);
};
alphaNumericSort(arr);
console.log(arr);

Output

And the output in the console will be −

[
   '1', '2', 'A1',
   'A3', 'A3A', 'A3B',
   'A4', 'A10', 'A11',
   'A12', 'B2', 'B10',
   'F1', 'F3'
]

AmitDiwan

e

Updated on: 23-Nov-2020

2K+ Views

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