Java Program to sort an array in case-insensitive order

An array can be sorted in case-insensitive order using the java.util.Arrays.sort() method. Also the java.text.Collator class is required as Collator.getInstance() is used to obtain the Collator object for the required locale.

A program that demonstrates this is given as follows −

Example

 Live Demo

import java.text.Collator;
import java.util.Arrays;
public class Demo {
   public static void main(String args[]) {
      String[] arr = new String[] { "apple", "mango", "Banana", "Melon", "orange" };
      System.out.print("The unsorted array is: ");
      System.out.println(Arrays.toString(arr));
      Arrays.sort(arr, Collator.getInstance());
      System.out.print("The sorted array in case-insensitive order is: ");
      System.out.println(Arrays.toString(arr));
   }
}

Output

The unsorted array is: [apple, mango, Banana, Melon, orange]
The sorted array in case-insensitive order is: [apple, Banana, mango, Melon, orange]

Now let us understand the above program.

First the array arr[] is defined. Then the unsorted array is printed. A code snippet which demonstrates this is as follows −

String[] arr = new String[] { "apple", "mango", "Banana", "Melon", "orange" };
System.out.print("The unsorted array is: ");
System.out.println(Arrays.toString(arr));

The Arrays.sort(arr, Collator.getInstance()) method is used to sort the array in a case-insensitive order. Then the sorted array is displayed. A code snippet which demonstrates this is as follows −

Arrays.sort(arr, Collator.getInstance())
System.out.print("The sorted array in case-insensitive order is: ");
System.out.println(Arrays.toString(arr));