Program for sorting variables of any data type

Last Updated : 03 Jan, 2024

Write a program for sorting variables of any datatype without the use of std::sort .

Examples:

Input :  2000, 456, -10, 0
Output : -10   0   456   2000    
Input :  "We do nothing"
         "Hi I have something"
         "Hello Join something!"
         "(Why to do work)"
Output :(Why to do work)   
         Hello Join something!
         Hi I have something
         We do nothing

Recommended: Please try your approach on {IDE} first, before moving on to the solution.

The examples above show, we can have any data type elements present as an input and output will be in a sorted form of the input data. The idea here to solve this problem is to make a template.

Method 1 (Writing our own sort) In below code, we have implemented Bubble Sort to sort the array.

CPP

// CPP program to sort array of any data types.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Template formed so that sorting of any 
// type variable is possible
template <class T>
void sortArray(T a[], int n)
{ 
    // boolean variable to check that 
    // whether it is sorted or not
    bool b = true;
    while (b) {
        b = false;
        for (size_t i=0; i<n-1; i++) {
 
            // swapping the variable
            // for sorting order
            if (a[i] > a[i + 1]) {
                T temp = a[i];
                a[i] = a[i + 1];
                a[i + 1] = temp;
                b = true;
            }
        }
    }
}
 
// Template formed so that sorting of any 
// type variable is possible
template <class T>
void printArray(T a[], int n)
{
    for (size_t i = 0; i < n; ++i) 
        cout << a[i] << " "; 
    cout << endl;
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    int n = 4;
    int intArr[n] = { 2000, 456, -10, 0 };
    sortArray(intArr, n);
    printArray(intArr, n);
 
    string strArr[n] = { "We do nothing",
                        "Hi I have something",
                        "Hello Join something!",
                        "(Why to do work)" };
    sortArray(strArr, n);
    printArray(strArr, n);
 
    float floatArr[n] = { 23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17 };
    sortArray(floatArr, n);
    printArray(floatArr, n);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

import java.util.Arrays;
 
class Main {
    // Generic method for sorting an array of any type
    public static <T extends Comparable<T>> void sortArray(T[] a) {
        boolean sorted;
        do {
            sorted = true;
            for (int i = 0; i < a.length - 1; i++) {
                // Compare adjacent elements and swap them if they are out of order
                if (a[i].compareTo(a[i + 1]) > 0) {
                    T temp = a[i];
                    a[i] = a[i + 1];
                    a[i + 1] = temp;
                    sorted = false;
                }
            }
        } while (!sorted); // Repeat the process until the array is sorted
    }
 
    // Generic method for printing an array of any type
    public static <T> void printArray(T[] a) {
        for (T value : a) {
            // Print each element followed by a space
            System.out.print(value + " ");
        }
        System.out.println(); // Move to the next line after printing the array
    }
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Integer[] intArr = { 2000, 456, -10, 0 };
        sortArray(intArr); // Sort the array of integers
        printArray(intArr); // Print the sorted integer array
 
        String[] strArr = { "We do nothing",
                            "Hi I have something",
                            "Hello Join something!",
                            "(Why to do work)" };
        sortArray(strArr); // Sort the array of strings
        printArray(strArr); // Print the sorted string array
 
        Float[] floatArr = { 23.4f, 11.4f, -9.7f, 11.17f };
        sortArray(floatArr); // Sort the array of floating-point numbers
        printArray(floatArr); // Print the sorted float array
    }
}

Python

def sort_array(a):
    sorted = False
    while not sorted:
        sorted = True
        for i in range(len(a) - 1):
            # Compare adjacent elements and swap them if they are out of order
            if a[i] > a[i + 1]:
                a[i], a[i + 1] = a[i + 1], a[i]
                sorted = False
 
# Generic method for printing an array of any type
def print_array(a):
    for value in a:
        # Print each element followed by a space
        print(value),
    print()  # Move to the next line after printing the array
 
# Main function
if __name__ == "__main__":
    int_arr = [2000, 456, -10, 0]
    sort_array(int_arr)  # Sort the array of integers
    print_array(int_arr)  # Print the sorted integer array
 
    str_arr = ["We do nothing",
               "Hi I have something",
               "Hello Join something!",
               "(Why to do work)"]
    sort_array(str_arr)  # Sort the array of strings
    print_array(str_arr)  # Print the sorted string array
 
    float_arr = [23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17]
    sort_array(float_arr)  # Sort the array of floating-point numbers
    print_array(float_arr)  # Print the sorted float array

C#

// C# program to sort array of any data types.
using System;
 
class GFG
{
    // Template formed so that sorting of any
    // type variable is possible
    static void SortArray<T>(T[] a)
        where T : IComparable<T>
    {
        // boolean variable to check that
        // whether it is sorted or not
        bool b = true;
        while (b)
        {
            b = false;
            for (int i = 0; i < a.Length - 1; i++)
            {
                // swapping the variable
                // for sorting order
                if (a[i].CompareTo(a[i + 1]) > 0)
                {
                    T temp = a[i];
                    a[i] = a[i + 1];
                    a[i + 1] = temp;
                    b = true;
                }
            }
        }
    }
 
    // Template formed so that sorting of any
    // type variable is possible
    static void PrintArray<T>(T[] a)
    {
        foreach (T element in a)
        {
            Console.Write(element + " ");
        }
        Console.WriteLine();
    }
 
    // Driver code
    static void Main()
    {
        int[] intArr = { 2000, 456, -10, 0 };
        SortArray(intArr);
        PrintArray(intArr);
 
        string[] strArr = { "We do nothing",
                            "Hi I have something",
                            "Hello Join something!",
                            "(Why to do work)" };
        SortArray(strArr);
        PrintArray(strArr);
 
        float[] floatArr = { 23.4f, 11.4f, -9.7f, 11.17f };
        SortArray(floatArr);
        PrintArray(floatArr);
    }
}
 
 
// This code is contributed by Vaibhav Nandan

Javascript

// Function to sort an array of any data type
function sortArray(arr) {
    let swapped;
 
    do {
        swapped = false;
        for (let i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
            // Swapping elements for sorting order
            if (arr[i] > arr[i + 1]) {
                [arr[i], arr[i + 1]] = [arr[i + 1], arr[i]];
                swapped = true;
            }
        }
    } while (swapped);
}
 
// Function to print an array
function printArray(arr) {
    console.log(arr.join(' '));
}
 
// Driver code
function main() {
    const intArr = [2000, 456, -10, 0];
    sortArray(intArr);
    printArray(intArr);
 
    const strArr = [
        "We do nothing",
        "Hi I have something",
        "Hello Join something!",
        "(Why to do work)"
    ];
    sortArray(strArr);
    printArray(strArr);
 
    const floatArr = [23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17];
    sortArray(floatArr);
    printArray(floatArr);
}
 
// Call the main function
main();

Output

-10   0   456   2000   
(Why to do work)   Hello Join something!   Hi I have something   We do nothing   
-9.7   11.17   11.4   23.4

Method 2 (Using Library Function) We can use std::sort in C++ to sort array of any data type.

CPP

// CPP program to sort array of any data types.
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
// Template formed so that sorting of any 
// type variable is possible
template <class T>
void printArray(T a[], int n)
{
    for (size_t i = 0; i < n; ++i) 
        cout << a[i] << " "; 
    cout << endl;
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    int n = 4;
    int intArr[n] = { 2000, 456, -10, 0 };
    sort(intArr, intArr + n);
    printArray(intArr, n);
 
    string strArr[n] = { "We do nothing",
                        "Hi I have something",
                        "Hello Join something!",
                        "(Why to do work)" };
    sort(strArr, strArr + n);
    printArray(strArr, n);
 
    float floatArr[n] = { 23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17 };
    sort(floatArr, floatArr+n);
    printArray(floatArr, n);
 
    return 0;
}

Java

// Java program to sort array of any data types.
import java.util.Arrays;
 
public class Main {
    public static void printArray(int[] a) {
        for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
            System.out.print(a[i] + " ");
        }
        System.out.println();
    }
 
    // Template formed so that sorting of any
    // type variable is possible
    public static void printArray(String[] a) {
        for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
            System.out.print(a[i] + " ");
        }
        System.out.println();
    }
 
    public static void printArray(float[] a) {
        for (int i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
            System.out.print(a[i] + " ");
        }
        System.out.println();
    }
     
    // Driver code
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int n = 4;
        int[] intArr = {2000, 456, -10, 0};
        Arrays.sort(intArr);
        printArray(intArr);
 
        String[] strArr = {"We do nothing",
                           "Hi I have something",
                           "Hello Join something!",
                           "(Why to do work)"};
        Arrays.sort(strArr);
        printArray(strArr);
 
        float[] floatArr = {23.4f, 11.4f, -9.7f, 11.17f};
        Arrays.sort(floatArr);
        printArray(floatArr);
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by shiv1o43g

Python3

def printArray(a):
    for i in range(len(a)):
        print(a[i], end=" ")
    print()
 
def main():
    n = 4
    intArr = [2000, 456, -10, 0]
    intArr.sort()
    printArray(intArr)
 
    strArr = ["We do nothing",
              "Hi I have something",
              "Hello Join something!",
              "(Why to do work)"]
    strArr.sort()
    printArray(strArr)
 
    floatArr = [23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17]
    floatArr.sort()
    printArray(floatArr)
 
if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
 
 
# This code is contributed by shivhack999

C#

// C# program to sort array of any data types.
using System;
 
public class MainClass
{
    // Template formed so that sorting of any
    // type variable is possible
    public static void PrintArray<T>(T[] arr)
    {
        foreach (T item in arr)
        {
            Console.Write(item + " ");
        }
        Console.WriteLine();
    }
 
    // Driver code
    public static void Main()
    {
        int[] intArr = { 2000, 456, -10, 0 };
        Array.Sort(intArr);
        PrintArray(intArr);
 
        string[] strArr = { "We do nothing",
                        "Hi I have something",
                        "Hello Join something!",
                        "(Why to do work)" };
        Array.Sort(strArr);
        PrintArray(strArr);
 
        float[] floatArr = { 23.4f, 11.4f, -9.7f, 11.17f };
        Array.Sort(floatArr);
        PrintArray(floatArr);
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by Utkarsh Kumar

Javascript

<script>
    // Javascript program to sort array of any data types.
     
     function printArray(arr) {
      for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
    document.write(arr[i] + " ");
      }
      document.write("<br>");
    }
     
    // Driver code
    const intArr = [2000, 456, -10, 0];
    intArr.sort((a, b) => a - b);
    printArray(intArr);
     
    const strArr = [
      "We do nothing",
      "Hi I have something",
      "Hello Join something!",
      "(Why to do work)"
    ];
    strArr.sort();
    printArray(strArr);
     
    const floatArr = [23.4, 11.4, -9.7, 11.17];
    floatArr.sort();
    printArray(floatArr);
     
    // This code is contributed by Pushpesh Raj.
</script>

Output

-10   0   456   2000   
(Why to do work)   Hello Join something!   Hi I have something   We do nothing   
-9.7   11.17   11.4   23.4

Print lower triangular matrix pattern from given array

Surya Priy

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Article Tags :

Practice Tags :

Sorting

Program for sorting variables of any data type

Recommended: Please try your approach on {IDE} first, before moving on to the solution.

CPP

Java

Python

C#

Javascript

CPP

Java

Python3

C#

Javascript

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