Sort List

Uncontrolled node

Overview

The Sort List node arranges the elements of a list in either ascending or descending order. It can sort simple values (numbers, strings) or, when provided with a property path, can sort objects and dictionaries by a specific nested property.

The node creates a new sorted copy of the input list and does not modify the original data.

Inputs

Input	Type	Description	Default
List	Data	The list of items to sort.	-
Path	Text	Optional. A dot-separated path to a property within objects/dictionaries to sort by (e.g., user.name or metadata.date). Supports Handlebars variable substitution.	-

Outputs

Output	Type	Description
Output	Data	The sorted list.

Properties

Property	Type	Description	Default
Order	Enum	The sort direction: ascending (A-Z, 0-9) or descending (Z-A, 9-0).	ascending

Runtime Behavior and Defaults

• Uncontrolled Execution: This node runs automatically whenever its input data changes. It does not require an event trigger.
• Copy on Sort: The node creates a shallow copy of the input list ([...list]) before sorting, ensuring the original input list remains unchanged.
• Path Resolution: When a path is provided, the node uses advancedDeref to resolve nested properties within objects. This supports dynamic paths using Handlebars templates (e.g., {{sortKey}}).
• Comparison Logic: Uses standard JavaScript comparison operators (<, >). For mixed types, JavaScript's default coercion rules apply.
• Empty or Invalid Input: If the input is not a valid array or is empty, the node outputs an error object: {error: 'Input is not a list'}.

Example

Sorting Simple Values

To sort a list of numbers or strings:

1. Connect a list of values to the List input (e.g., [3, 1, 4, 1, 5]).
2. Set Order to ascending in the properties panel.
3. The Output will emit [1, 1, 3, 4, 5].

Sorting Objects by Property

To sort a list of user objects by their age:

Input List:

[
  {"name": "Alice", "age": 30},
  {"name": "Bob", "age": 25},
  {"name": "Charlie", "age": 35}
]

Configuration:

• Path: age
• Order: ascending

Output:

[
  {"name": "Bob", "age": 25},
  {"name": "Alice", "age": 30},
  {"name": "Charlie", "age": 35}
]

Dynamic Sorting with Variables

You can use Handlebars syntax in the Path input to dynamically select which property to sort by:

• Set Path to: {{sortField}}
• Provide a variable sortField with value "name" to sort by the name property.

This allows the same workflow to sort by different criteria at runtime.