How to sort a List/ArrayList?

Sorting a List or ArrayList in Java is a common task and can be done easily using built-in methods provided by the Java Collections Framework. Whether you want to sort numbers, strings, or custom objects, Java has you covered.

How to sort a List/ArrayList?

Using Collections.sort():

 The simplest way to sort a List or ArrayList is by using the static method Collections.sort().

List numbers = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(5, 3, 8, 1));

Collections.sort(numbers);

System.out.println(numbers);  // Output: [1, 3, 5, 8]

 This sorts the list in ascending order according to the natural ordering of the elements (e.g., numbers from smallest to largest).

Sorting custom objects:

 If you have a list of custom objects, you need to either make your class implement the Comparable interface or provide a Comparator.

class Person implements Comparable {

    String name;

    int age;

    public int compareTo(Person other) {

        return this.age - other.age;  // Sort by age ascending

    }

}

 Or use a Comparator:

  Collections.sort(personList, (p1, p2) -> p1.getName().compareTo(p2.getName()));

Using Java 8+ Streams:

 You can also sort using streams and get a sorted list:

List sortedNumbers = numbers.stream()

                                     .sorted()

                                     .collect(Collectors.toList());

Summary:

• Use Collections.sort() for simple sorting.
  
• Implement Comparable or use Comparator for custom sorting logic.
  
• Java 8 streams provide a modern and flexible way to sort.
  
• Sorting changes the order of elements in the list or creates a new sorted collection.
  

Sorting lists is straightforward in Java, and with these tools, you can sort almost anything quickly and cleanly!