JavaScript - how to sort array?

1. Overview

In JavaScript it is possible to sort array in following ways.

2. Sorting array in ascending ordering

In this example numbers are sorted from smallest to biggest - Array sort (Array.prototype.sort) method with ascending ordering has been used.

var array = [5, 2, 3, 1, 4];
array.sort();

console.log(array);

Output:

[ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ]

3. Sorting array in ascending ordering with compare function

In this example numbers are sorted from smallest to biggest with compare function.

var array = [5, 2, 3, 1, 4];

array.sort(function(a, b) {
    return a - b;
});

console.log(array);

Output:

[ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ]

4. Sorting array in desscending ordering with compare function

In this example numbers are sorted from biggest to smallest - in this case compare function is necessary.

var array = [5, 2, 3, 1, 4];

array.sort(function(a, b) {
    return b - a;
});

console.log(array);

Output:

[ 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ]

5. Sorting array in desscending ordering with reverse method example

In this example numbers are sorted from biggest to smallest - in this case reverse function has been used.

var array = [5, 2, 3, 1, 4];

var result = array.sort()
    .reverse();

console.log(result);

Output:

[ 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ]