{
"mode": "man",
"parameter": "SORT",
"section": "1",
"url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/SORT/1/json",
"generated": "2026-06-13T21:38:50Z",
"synopsis": "sort [OPTION]... [FILE]...\nsort [OPTION]... --files0-from=F",
"sections": {
"NAME": {
"content": "sort - sort lines of text files\n",
"subsections": []
},
"SYNOPSIS": {
"content": "sort [OPTION]... [FILE]...\nsort [OPTION]... --files0-from=F\n",
"subsections": []
},
"DESCRIPTION": {
"content": "Write sorted concatenation of all FILE(s) to standard output.\n\nWith no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.\n\nMandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. Ordering options:\n",
"subsections": [
{
"name": "-b --ignore-leading-blanks",
"content": "ignore leading blanks\n",
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--ignore-leading-blanks"
},
{
"name": "-d --dictionary-order",
"content": "consider only blanks and alphanumeric characters\n",
"flag": "-d",
"long": "--dictionary-order"
},
{
"name": "-f --ignore-case",
"content": "fold lower case to upper case characters\n",
"flag": "-f",
"long": "--ignore-case"
},
{
"name": "-g --general-numeric-sort",
"content": "compare according to general numerical value\n",
"flag": "-g",
"long": "--general-numeric-sort"
},
{
"name": "-i --ignore-nonprinting",
"content": "consider only printable characters\n",
"flag": "-i",
"long": "--ignore-nonprinting"
},
{
"name": "-M --month-sort",
"content": "compare (unknown) < 'JAN' < ... < 'DEC'\n",
"flag": "-M",
"long": "--month-sort"
},
{
"name": "-h --human-numeric-sort",
"content": "compare human readable numbers (e.g., 2K 1G)\n",
"flag": "-h",
"long": "--human-numeric-sort"
},
{
"name": "-n --numeric-sort",
"content": "compare according to string numerical value\n",
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--numeric-sort"
},
{
"name": "-R --random-sort",
"content": "shuffle, but group identical keys. See shuf(1)\n\n--random-source=FILE\nget random bytes from FILE\n",
"flag": "-R",
"long": "--random-sort"
},
{
"name": "-r --reverse",
"content": "reverse the result of comparisons\n\n--sort=WORD\nsort according to WORD: general-numeric -g, human-numeric -h, month -M, numeric -n,\nrandom -R, version -V\n",
"flag": "-r",
"long": "--reverse"
},
{
"name": "-V --version-sort",
"content": "natural sort of (version) numbers within text\n\nOther options:\n\n--batch-size=NMERGE\nmerge at most NMERGE inputs at once; for more use temp files\n",
"flag": "-V",
"long": "--version-sort"
},
{
"name": "-c --check --check",
"content": "check for sorted input; do not sort\n",
"flag": "-c",
"long": "--check"
},
{
"name": "-C --check --check",
"content": "like -c, but do not report first bad line\n\n--compress-program=PROG\ncompress temporaries with PROG; decompress them with PROG -d\n",
"flag": "-C",
"long": "--check"
},
{
"name": "--debug",
"content": "annotate the part of the line used to sort, and warn about questionable usage to\nstderr\n\n--files0-from=F\nread input from the files specified by NUL-terminated names in file F; If F is - then\nread names from standard input\n",
"long": "--debug"
},
{
"name": "-k --key",
"content": "sort via a key; KEYDEF gives location and type\n",
"flag": "-k",
"long": "--key"
},
{
"name": "-m --merge",
"content": "merge already sorted files; do not sort\n",
"flag": "-m",
"long": "--merge"
},
{
"name": "-o --output",
"content": "write result to FILE instead of standard output\n",
"flag": "-o",
"long": "--output"
},
{
"name": "-s --stable",
"content": "stabilize sort by disabling last-resort comparison\n",
"flag": "-s",
"long": "--stable"
},
{
"name": "-S --buffer-size",
"content": "use SIZE for main memory buffer\n",
"flag": "-S",
"long": "--buffer-size"
},
{
"name": "-t --field-separator",
"content": "use SEP instead of non-blank to blank transition\n",
"flag": "-t",
"long": "--field-separator"
},
{
"name": "-T --temporary-directory",
"content": "use DIR for temporaries, not $TMPDIR or /tmp; multiple options specify multiple direc‐\ntories\n\n--parallel=N\nchange the number of sorts run concurrently to N\n",
"flag": "-T",
"long": "--temporary-directory"
},
{
"name": "-u --unique",
"content": "with -c, check for strict ordering; without -c, output only the first of an equal run\n",
"flag": "-u",
"long": "--unique"
},
{
"name": "-z --zero-terminated",
"content": "line delimiter is NUL, not newline\n\n--help display this help and exit\n",
"flag": "-z",
"long": "--zero-terminated"
},
{
"name": "--version",
"content": "output version information and exit\n\nKEYDEF is F[.C][OPTS][,F[.C][OPTS]] for start and stop position, where F is a field number\nand C a character position in the field; both are origin 1, and the stop position defaults to\nthe line's end. If neither -t nor -b is in effect, characters in a field are counted from\nthe beginning of the preceding whitespace. OPTS is one or more single-letter ordering op‐\ntions [bdfgiMhnRrV], which override global ordering options for that key. If no key is\ngiven, use the entire line as the key. Use --debug to diagnose incorrect key usage.\n\nSIZE may be followed by the following multiplicative suffixes: % 1% of memory, b 1, K 1024\n(default), and so on for M, G, T, P, E, Z, Y.\n\n* WARNING * The locale specified by the environment affects sort order. Set LCALL=C to\nget the traditional sort order that uses native byte values.\n",
"long": "--version"
}
]
},
"AUTHOR": {
"content": "Written by Mike Haertel and Paul Eggert.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"REPORTING BUGS": {
"content": "GNU coreutils online help: \nReport any translation bugs to \n",
"subsections": []
},
"COPYRIGHT": {
"content": "Copyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later\n.\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to\nthe extent permitted by law.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"SEE ALSO": {
"content": "shuf(1), uniq(1)\n\nFull documentation \nor available locally via: info '(coreutils) sort invocation'\n\n\n\nGNU coreutils 8.32 January 2026 SORT(1)",
"subsections": []
}
},
"summary": "sort - sort lines of text files",
"flags": [
{
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--ignore-leading-blanks",
"arg": null,
"description": "ignore leading blanks"
},
{
"flag": "-d",
"long": "--dictionary-order",
"arg": null,
"description": "consider only blanks and alphanumeric characters"
},
{
"flag": "-f",
"long": "--ignore-case",
"arg": null,
"description": "fold lower case to upper case characters"
},
{
"flag": "-g",
"long": "--general-numeric-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "compare according to general numerical value"
},
{
"flag": "-i",
"long": "--ignore-nonprinting",
"arg": null,
"description": "consider only printable characters"
},
{
"flag": "-M",
"long": "--month-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "compare (unknown) < 'JAN' < ... < 'DEC'"
},
{
"flag": "-h",
"long": "--human-numeric-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "compare human readable numbers (e.g., 2K 1G)"
},
{
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--numeric-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "compare according to string numerical value"
},
{
"flag": "-R",
"long": "--random-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "shuffle, but group identical keys. See shuf(1) --random-source=FILE get random bytes from FILE"
},
{
"flag": "-r",
"long": "--reverse",
"arg": null,
"description": "reverse the result of comparisons --sort=WORD sort according to WORD: general-numeric -g, human-numeric -h, month -M, numeric -n, random -R, version -V"
},
{
"flag": "-V",
"long": "--version-sort",
"arg": null,
"description": "natural sort of (version) numbers within text Other options: --batch-size=NMERGE merge at most NMERGE inputs at once; for more use temp files"
},
{
"flag": "-c",
"long": "--check",
"arg": null,
"description": "check for sorted input; do not sort"
},
{
"flag": "-C",
"long": "--check",
"arg": null,
"description": "like -c, but do not report first bad line --compress-program=PROG compress temporaries with PROG; decompress them with PROG -d"
},
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--debug",
"arg": null,
"description": "annotate the part of the line used to sort, and warn about questionable usage to stderr --files0-from=F read input from the files specified by NUL-terminated names in file F; If F is - then read names from standard input"
},
{
"flag": "-k",
"long": "--key",
"arg": null,
"description": "sort via a key; KEYDEF gives location and type"
},
{
"flag": "-m",
"long": "--merge",
"arg": null,
"description": "merge already sorted files; do not sort"
},
{
"flag": "-o",
"long": "--output",
"arg": null,
"description": "write result to FILE instead of standard output"
},
{
"flag": "-s",
"long": "--stable",
"arg": null,
"description": "stabilize sort by disabling last-resort comparison"
},
{
"flag": "-S",
"long": "--buffer-size",
"arg": null,
"description": "use SIZE for main memory buffer"
},
{
"flag": "-t",
"long": "--field-separator",
"arg": null,
"description": "use SEP instead of non-blank to blank transition"
},
{
"flag": "-T",
"long": "--temporary-directory",
"arg": null,
"description": "use DIR for temporaries, not $TMPDIR or /tmp; multiple options specify multiple direc‐ tories --parallel=N change the number of sorts run concurrently to N"
},
{
"flag": "-u",
"long": "--unique",
"arg": null,
"description": "with -c, check for strict ordering; without -c, output only the first of an equal run"
},
{
"flag": "-z",
"long": "--zero-terminated",
"arg": null,
"description": "line delimiter is NUL, not newline --help display this help and exit"
},
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--version",
"arg": null,
"description": "output version information and exit KEYDEF is F[.C][OPTS][,F[.C][OPTS]] for start and stop position, where F is a field number and C a character position in the field; both are origin 1, and the stop position defaults to the line's end. If neither -t nor -b is in effect, characters in a field are counted from the beginning of the preceding whitespace. OPTS is one or more single-letter ordering op‐ tions [bdfgiMhnRrV], which override global ordering options for that key. If no key is given, use the entire line as the key. Use --debug to diagnose incorrect key usage. SIZE may be followed by the following multiplicative suffixes: % 1% of memory, b 1, K 1024 (default), and so on for M, G, T, P, E, Z, Y. * WARNING * The locale specified by the environment affects sort order. Set LCALL=C to get the traditional sort order that uses native byte values."
}
],
"examples": [],
"see_also": [
{
"name": "shuf",
"section": "1",
"url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/shuf/1/json"
},
{
"name": "uniq",
"section": "1",
"url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/uniq/1/json"
}
],
"tldr": {
"source": "official",
"description": "Sort lines of text files.",
"examples": [
{
"description": "Sort a file in ascending order",
"command": "sort {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Sort a file in descending order",
"command": "sort {{-r|--reverse}} {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Sort a file in case-insensitive way",
"command": "sort {{-f|--ignore-case}} {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Sort a file using numeric rather than alphabetic order",
"command": "sort {{-n|--numeric-sort}} {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Sort `/etc/passwd` by the 3rd field onward of each line numerically, using `:` as a field separator",
"command": "sort {{-t|--field-separator}} : {{-k|--key}} 3n /etc/passwd"
},
{
"description": "As above, but when items in the 3rd field are equal, sort by the 4th field by numbers with exponents",
"command": "sort {{-t|--field-separator}} : {{-k|--key}} 3,3n {{-k|--key}} 4,4g /etc/passwd"
},
{
"description": "Sort a file preserving only unique lines",
"command": "sort {{-u|--unique}} {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Sort a file, printing the output to the specified output file (can be used to sort a file in-place)",
"command": "sort {{-o|--output}} {{path/to/output_file}} {{path/to/input_file}}"
}
]
}
}