Function sort

numpy/_core/fromnumeric.py:942–1106

Return a sorted copy of an array. Parameters ---------- a : array_like Array to be sorted. axis : int or None, optional Axis along which to sort. If None, the array is flattened before sorting. The default is -1, which sorts along the last axis. kind

(a, axis=-1, kind=None, order=None, *, stable=None, descending=np._NoValue)

@array_function_dispatch(_sort_dispatcher)
def sort(a, axis=-1, kind=None, order=None, *, stable=None, descending=np._NoValue):
    """
    Return a sorted copy of an array.

    Parameters
    ----------
    a : array_like
        Array to be sorted.
    axis : int or None, optional
        Axis along which to sort. If None, the array is flattened before
        sorting. The default is -1, which sorts along the last axis.
    kind : {'quicksort', 'mergesort', 'heapsort', 'stable'}, optional
        Sorting algorithm. The default is 'quicksort'. Note that both 'stable'
        and 'mergesort' use timsort or radix sort under the covers and,
        in general, the actual implementation will vary with data type.
        The 'mergesort' option is retained for backwards compatibility.
    order : str or list of str, optional
        When `a` is an array with fields defined, this argument specifies
        which fields to compare first, second, etc.  A single field can
        be specified as a string, and not all fields need be specified,
        but unspecified fields will still be used, in the order in which
        they come up in the dtype, to break ties.
    stable : bool, optional
        Sort stability. If ``True``, the returned array will maintain
        the relative order of ``a`` values which compare as equal.
        If ``False`` or ``None``, this is not guaranteed. Internally,
        this option selects ``kind='stable'``. Default: ``None``.

        .. versionadded:: 2.0.0
    descending : bool, optional
        Sort order. If ``True``, the returned array will be sorted in
        descending order. If ``False`` or ``None``, the returned array will
        be sorted in ascending order. Values that are NaN are sorted to the
        end for both orders. Default: ``None``.

        .. versionadded:: 2.5.0

    Returns
    -------
    sorted_array : ndarray
        Array of the same type and shape as `a`.

    See Also
    --------
    ndarray.sort : Method to sort an array in-place.
    argsort : Indirect sort.
    lexsort : Indirect stable sort on multiple keys.
    searchsorted : Find elements in a sorted array.
    partition : Partial sort.

    Notes
    -----
    The various sorting algorithms are characterized by their average speed,
    worst case performance, work space size, and whether they are stable. A
    stable sort keeps items with the same key in the same relative
    order. The four algorithms implemented in NumPy have the following
    properties: