natural-compare vs compare-versions vs string-natural-compare vs natural-orderby
Version Comparison and Sorting Libraries Comparison
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What's Version Comparison and Sorting Libraries?

These libraries provide functionalities for comparing and sorting strings, particularly useful for version numbers and natural language sorting. They help developers manage and manipulate version strings or lists of items in a way that respects natural ordering, making it easier to handle user inputs and data in applications where versioning or natural sorting is critical.

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natural-compare41,301,744110-09 years agoMIT
compare-versions5,563,81161355.5 kB58 months agoMIT
string-natural-compare4,426,72849-15 years agoMIT
natural-orderby1,822,6055872.5 kB164 months agoMIT
Feature Comparison: natural-compare vs compare-versions vs string-natural-compare vs natural-orderby

Comparison Methodology

  • natural-compare:

    natural-compare implements a natural sorting algorithm that compares strings in a way that aligns with human intuition. It treats numeric substrings as integers, allowing for correct ordering of strings like 'file2', 'file10', and 'file1'.

  • compare-versions:

    compare-versions uses a strict semantic versioning approach, allowing for accurate comparisons of version strings formatted as 'major.minor.patch'. It handles edge cases like pre-release versions and build metadata, ensuring precise results for versioning tasks.

  • string-natural-compare:

    string-natural-compare provides a simple comparison function that respects natural ordering principles. It is designed for quick comparisons without the overhead of sorting, making it efficient for scenarios where only pairwise comparisons are needed.

  • natural-orderby:

    natural-orderby builds on the principles of natural-compare but focuses on sorting arrays. It allows developers to specify sort keys and provides a more flexible API for sorting complex data structures, enhancing usability in data manipulation tasks.

Performance

  • natural-compare:

    natural-compare is efficient for sorting and comparing strings, but performance may vary with larger datasets. It is designed for general use and balances performance with the complexity of the comparison logic.

  • compare-versions:

    This library is optimized for performance in version comparison scenarios, making it suitable for applications that frequently check or validate version strings. Its lightweight nature ensures minimal impact on application performance.

  • string-natural-compare:

    string-natural-compare is lightweight and fast, making it ideal for applications that require quick comparisons without the need for sorting. Its performance is consistent across various string lengths.

  • natural-orderby:

    natural-orderby is optimized for sorting large arrays, leveraging the natural-compare algorithm to ensure efficient sorting. It is suitable for applications that require frequent sorting of data collections.

Use Cases

  • natural-compare:

    Best suited for applications that display lists of items to users, such as file explorers or search results, where natural ordering enhances readability and usability.

  • compare-versions:

    Ideal for applications that manage software versions, such as package managers or version control systems, where precise version comparison is crucial for functionality and user experience.

  • string-natural-compare:

    Useful in scenarios where quick comparisons are needed, such as validating user inputs or filtering options in forms, where performance and simplicity are key.

  • natural-orderby:

    Perfect for data-heavy applications that require sorting of complex datasets, such as e-commerce platforms or content management systems, where user experience relies on intuitive data presentation.

Extensibility

  • natural-compare:

    natural-compare can be extended for custom comparison logic, allowing developers to modify its behavior for specific use cases, enhancing its flexibility in various applications.

  • compare-versions:

    This library is focused and does not offer extensibility features, as it is designed specifically for version comparison without additional functionalities.

  • string-natural-compare:

    string-natural-compare is straightforward and does not offer extensibility options, focusing solely on natural string comparison.

  • natural-orderby:

    natural-orderby provides options for custom sorting functions, enabling developers to tailor the sorting behavior to fit specific requirements, making it highly extensible for complex data scenarios.

Learning Curve

  • natural-compare:

    natural-compare is user-friendly, with clear documentation that allows developers to understand and implement natural string comparisons with minimal effort.

  • compare-versions:

    The library has a low learning curve, making it easy for developers to implement version comparisons quickly without extensive documentation or setup.

  • string-natural-compare:

    This package is very easy to learn and implement, making it suitable for developers at all levels who need quick and efficient string comparisons.

  • natural-orderby:

    natural-orderby may require a bit more understanding due to its sorting capabilities, but it is still accessible for developers familiar with JavaScript array methods.

How to Choose: natural-compare vs compare-versions vs string-natural-compare vs natural-orderby
  • natural-compare:

    Select natural-compare for a more general-purpose string comparison that respects natural ordering. This package is particularly useful when sorting strings that contain numbers, as it compares them in a way that humans would expect, making it suitable for user-facing applications where readability is important.

  • compare-versions:

    Choose compare-versions if you need a straightforward solution specifically for comparing semantic version strings. It is lightweight and focused solely on version comparison, making it ideal for applications that require precise version checks without additional overhead.

  • string-natural-compare:

    Use string-natural-compare if you require a simple and efficient way to compare strings in a natural order without the need for additional sorting capabilities. This package is lightweight and easy to integrate, making it suitable for quick comparisons in various contexts.

  • natural-orderby:

    Opt for natural-orderby when you need to sort arrays of strings or objects based on a natural order. This package extends natural-compare by providing a more comprehensive sorting mechanism, allowing for complex sorting scenarios, which is beneficial in data-heavy applications.

Similar Npm Packages to natural-compare

natural-compare is a JavaScript library that provides a natural sorting algorithm for strings. This means it compares strings in a way that humans typically expect, taking into account numerical values within the strings. For example, "file10" is considered greater than "file2" when using natural comparison, which is more intuitive than standard lexicographical comparison. This library is particularly useful for sorting lists of items that contain both numbers and letters, making it a popular choice for applications that require user-friendly sorting.

While natural-compare is a great tool for natural sorting, there are several alternatives that also provide similar functionality:

  • compare-versions is a library specifically designed for comparing version strings. It is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to determine the order of software versions, such as in package management systems. compare-versions handles semantic versioning (semver) and provides a simple API for comparing version strings, making it a solid choice if your primary need is to compare software versions rather than general string sorting.
  • natural-orderby is another library that focuses on natural sorting, similar to natural-compare. It allows you to sort arrays of objects based on string properties in a natural order. This library is particularly useful when you want to sort complex data structures while maintaining the natural order of string properties. If you are working with arrays of objects and need to sort them based on a specific property, natural-orderby can be a great alternative.
  • string-natural-compare is a lightweight library that also provides natural string comparison functionality. It is designed to be simple and efficient, making it a good choice for projects that require basic natural string comparison without the overhead of larger libraries. If you need a straightforward solution for natural string comparison, string-natural-compare is worth considering.

To see how natural-compare compares with its alternatives, check out the comparison: Comparing compare-versions vs natural-compare vs natural-orderby vs string-natural-compare.

Similar Npm Packages to compare-versions

compare-versions is a simple and efficient library for comparing version strings in JavaScript. It allows developers to easily determine the order of version numbers, which is particularly useful in package management and software versioning scenarios. While compare-versions is a solid choice for version comparison, there are several alternatives available in the npm ecosystem. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • compare-version is a lightweight library that provides a straightforward way to compare version strings. It focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it a good choice for developers who need to perform basic version comparisons without the overhead of more complex libraries. If you are looking for a minimalistic solution for comparing versions, compare-version is worth considering.

  • node-version is a utility for comparing Node.js version strings. It is specifically designed for developers working with Node.js applications who need to ensure compatibility with specific versions of Node. If your primary concern is comparing Node.js versions, this library provides a tailored solution that simplifies the process.

  • semver is a widely-used library for semantic versioning in JavaScript. It provides comprehensive functionality for comparing, validating, and manipulating version strings according to the Semantic Versioning specification. If you need a robust solution that adheres to semantic versioning principles, semver is an excellent choice. It is particularly useful in package management scenarios where adherence to semantic versioning is crucial.

  • semver-compare is a lightweight library specifically focused on comparing semantic version strings. It offers a simple API for determining the order of versions while adhering to the semantic versioning rules. If you are looking for a straightforward solution to compare semantic versions without the additional features of a more comprehensive library, semver-compare is a great option.

To explore how these libraries stack up against each other, check out the comparison: Comparing compare-version vs compare-versions vs node-version vs semver vs semver-compare.

Similar Npm Packages to string-natural-compare

string-natural-compare is a JavaScript library that provides a natural sorting algorithm for strings. It allows developers to sort arrays of strings in a way that is more intuitive to human readers, taking into account numerical values and other factors that traditional string sorting might overlook. This can be particularly useful in applications where user-friendly sorting is essential, such as in search results or lists of items.

While string-natural-compare offers a specialized solution for natural string comparison, there are several alternatives in the JavaScript ecosystem that provide similar functionalities. Here are a few noteworthy options:

  • fuse.js is a powerful fuzzy-search library that allows for searching through arrays of objects. It provides a flexible and efficient way to perform fuzzy matching, making it ideal for applications that require searching through large datasets. While it is primarily focused on search functionality, its scoring and ranking capabilities can also be useful for sorting results based on relevance, making it a versatile tool for developers looking to enhance user experience in search interfaces.

  • natural is a general natural language processing (NLP) library for JavaScript. It provides various tools for text processing, including tokenization, stemming, and classification. While it is broader in scope than string-natural-compare, it includes functionalities for string comparison and similarity, making it a good choice for applications that require more comprehensive NLP capabilities alongside string comparison.

  • string-similarity is a library that provides a simple way to compare strings and determine their similarity. It uses algorithms to calculate a similarity score between two strings, which can be useful for applications that need to identify duplicates or similar entries. If your use case involves comparing strings for similarity rather than sorting, string-similarity may be a more appropriate choice.

To explore how string-natural-compare compares with fuse.js, natural, and string-similarity, check out the comparison: Comparing fuse.js vs natural vs string-natural-compare vs string-similarity.

Similar Npm Packages to natural-orderby

natural-orderby is a JavaScript library that provides a natural sorting algorithm for arrays of strings and numbers. It allows developers to sort data in a way that is more intuitive for human readers, taking into account the natural order of numbers and strings. This is particularly useful when dealing with lists that contain mixed types of data, such as filenames or version numbers, where traditional sorting methods may not yield the desired results. By using natural-orderby, developers can ensure that their data is presented in a more user-friendly manner.

While natural-orderby is a great tool for natural sorting, there are several alternatives that also provide sorting functionalities. Here are a few notable ones:

  • lodash is a widely-used utility library that offers a variety of functions for manipulating arrays, objects, and other data types. Among its many features, lodash includes sorting functions that can handle complex sorting scenarios. With its powerful chaining capabilities and extensive documentation, lodash is an excellent choice for developers looking for a comprehensive utility library that includes sorting as one of its many features.

  • sort-by is a lightweight library specifically designed for sorting arrays of objects based on specified properties. It allows developers to easily sort data using a simple and intuitive syntax. While it may not offer the same breadth of functionality as lodash, sort-by is focused on providing a straightforward solution for sorting, making it a good choice for projects that require a minimalistic approach.

  • underscore is another utility library that provides a range of functions for working with arrays, objects, and functions. Similar to lodash, underscore includes sorting capabilities, allowing developers to sort collections based on various criteria. While it has a smaller footprint compared to lodash, underscore is still a solid option for developers who prefer its functional programming style.

To see how natural-orderby compares with lodash, sort-by, and underscore, check out the comparison: Comparing lodash vs natural-orderby vs sort-by vs underscore.

README for natural-compare
@version    1.4.0
@date       2015-10-26
@stability  3 - Stable

Natural Compare – Build Coverage

Compare strings containing a mix of letters and numbers in the way a human being would in sort order. This is described as a "natural ordering".

Standard sorting:   Natural order sorting:
    img1.png            img1.png
    img10.png           img2.png
    img12.png           img10.png
    img2.png            img12.png

String.naturalCompare returns a number indicating whether a reference string comes before or after or is the same as the given string in sort order. Use it with builtin sort() function.

Installation

  • In browser
<script src=min.natural-compare.js></script>
  • In node.js: npm install natural-compare-lite
require("natural-compare-lite")

Usage

// Simple case sensitive example
var a = ["z1.doc", "z10.doc", "z17.doc", "z2.doc", "z23.doc", "z3.doc"];
a.sort(String.naturalCompare);
// ["z1.doc", "z2.doc", "z3.doc", "z10.doc", "z17.doc", "z23.doc"]

// Use wrapper function for case insensitivity
a.sort(function(a, b){
  return String.naturalCompare(a.toLowerCase(), b.toLowerCase());
})

// In most cases we want to sort an array of objects
var a = [ {"street":"350 5th Ave", "room":"A-1021"}
        , {"street":"350 5th Ave", "room":"A-21046-b"} ];

// sort by street, then by room
a.sort(function(a, b){
  return String.naturalCompare(a.street, b.street) || String.naturalCompare(a.room, b.room);
})

// When text transformation is needed (eg toLowerCase()),
// it is best for performance to keep
// transformed key in that object.
// There are no need to do text transformation
// on each comparision when sorting.
var a = [ {"make":"Audi", "model":"A6"}
        , {"make":"Kia",  "model":"Rio"} ];

// sort by make, then by model
a.map(function(car){
  car.sort_key = (car.make + " " + car.model).toLowerCase();
})
a.sort(function(a, b){
  return String.naturalCompare(a.sort_key, b.sort_key);
})
  • Works well with dates in ISO format eg "Rev 2012-07-26.doc".

Custom alphabet

It is possible to configure a custom alphabet to achieve a desired order.

// Estonian alphabet
String.alphabet = "ABDEFGHIJKLMNOPRSŠZŽTUVÕÄÖÜXYabdefghijklmnoprsšzžtuvõäöüxy"
["t", "z", "x", "õ"].sort(String.naturalCompare)
// ["z", "t", "õ", "x"]

// Russian alphabet
String.alphabet = "АБВГДЕЁЖЗИЙКЛМНОПРСТУФХЦЧШЩЪЫЬЭЮЯабвгдеёжзийклмнопрстуфхцчшщъыьэюя"
["Ё", "А", "Б"].sort(String.naturalCompare)
// ["А", "Б", "Ё"]

External links

  • [GitHub repo][https://github.com/litejs/natural-compare-lite]
  • jsperf test

Licence

Copyright (c) 2012-2015 Lauri Rooden <lauri@rooden.ee>
The MIT License

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