Reuven Lerner - How to sort anything

Python

Learn how to master sorting in Python with Reuven Lerner, including custom key functions, stable sorting, and implementing total ordering concepts.

Key takeaways

Sorting is important and is done frequently in programming
Use sorted() function with a custom key function to sort lists
A key function can be a lambda function or a regular function
Key functions can sort lists of strings, numbers, and objects
sorted() method modifies the original list if the key function returns a mutable object
To avoid modifying the original list, use sorted() function with a key function that returns an immutable object
The default sort order is ascending, but descending order can be achieved by multiplying the key function’s return value by -1
The operator.itemgetter function can be used to create a key function that sorts lists of objects
Data classes and the @dataclass decorator can be used to create classes with immutable objects
The @dataclass decorator automatically generates methods for sorting and comparing objects
Total ordering can be achieved by implementing __lt__, __eq__, and __gt__ methods in a class
Python’s sorted() function is stable, meaning that it maintains the relative order of equal elements
The sorted() function is customizable and can be used with lists, tuples, dictionaries, and other iterable objects
Tim Sort, a stable sorting algorithm, is the default sorting algorithm used in Python
Tim Sort is fast and efficient, and is suitable for sorting large lists of objects

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