python sort list of dictionaries alphabetically

PYTHON SORT LIST OF DICTIONARIES ALPHABETICALLY HOW TO

The key and reverse parameters can also be combined.įor example, you could sort the list items based on their length but in descending order. The shortest string is on the left hand side and the longest on the right. In the example above, strings are sorted in the default ascending order, but this time the sorting occurs based on their length. The len() function will count the length of each element stored in the list by counting the characters contained in that element. Say you want to sort a list of strings based on their length.įor that, you assign the built-in len() function to the key parameter. This method or function assigned to key will be applied to all the elements in the list before any sorting occurs and will specify the logic for the sorting criteria. Some examples of callable objects are methods and functions. The value assigned to the key parameter needs to be something callable.Ĭallable is something that can be called, which means it can be invoked and referenced. You can use the key parameter to perform more customized sorting operations.

PYTHON SORT LIST OF DICTIONARIES ALPHABETICALLY HOW TO

How to Sort List Items Using the key parameter with the sort() Method List items are now arranged in reverse alphabetical order. #sort list in-place in reverse alphabetical order You can also achieve the same when working with a list of strings. Now all the numbers are arranged in reverse, with the largest value being on the left hand side and the smallest on the right. Let's reuse the same example from the previous section, but this time make it so the numbers are sorted in reverse order: # a list of numbers The general syntax to do this would look something like this: list_name.sort(reverse=True) To sort list items in descending order, you need to use the optional reverse parameter with the sort() method, and set its value to True. How to Sort List Items in Descending Order Using the sort() Methodĭescending (or decreasing) order is the opposite of ascending order - elements are arranged from highest to lowest value. In this case, each string contained in the list was sorted in aplhabetical order.Īs you saw in both examples, the original lists were directly changed. #sort list in-place in alphabetical order You can also achieve the same when working with a list of strings: # a list of strings In the example above, numbers are sorted from smallest to largest. Let's take a look at the following example which shows how to sort a list of whole numbers: # a list of numbers

The general syntax to do this would look something similar to the following: list_name.sort() The lowest value is on the left hand side and the highest value is on the right. How to Sort List Items in Ascending Order Using the sort() MethodĪs mentioned earlier, by default, sort() sorts list items in ascending order.Īscending (or increasing) order means that items are arranged from lowest to highest value. The sort() method returns None, which means there is no return value since it just modifies the original list. It takes a function or method which is used to specify any detailed sorting criteria you may have. Setting it to True sorts the list backwards, in desceding order. The default value is False, meaning the list is sorted in ascending order. It takes a Boolean value, meaning the value is either True or False. It specifies whether the list will be sorted in ascending or descending order. reverse is the first optional parameter.sort() accepts two optional parameters.It sorts list elements in either ascending or descending order. sort() is one of Python's list methods for sorting and changing a list.list_name is the name of the list you're working with.The general syntax for the sort() method looks like this: list_name.sort(reverse=., key=. Specifially, the original order of elements is altered. This means that the original list is directly modified. When using sort(), you sort a list in-place. The sort() method is one of the ways you can sort a list in Python. The differences between sort() and sorted().You will also learn a different way of performing sorting in Python by using the sorted() function so you can see how it differs from sort().īy the end, you will know the basics of sorting a list in Python and know how to customize the sorting to fit your needs. In this article, you will learn how to use Python's sort() list method.

Python sort list of dictionaries alphabetically