How to Fix the Sort() Function Not Working in TypeScript

Discover effective solutions for fixing your `sort()` function in TypeScript, ensuring proper sorting behavior when filtering arrays.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: Sort() function not working in TypeScript

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Troubleshooting the Sort() Function in TypeScript

When working with TypeScript, you might encounter challenges, especially when it comes to sorting filtered arrays. A common issue arises when using the sort() function alongside the filter() method. If you've faced errors while trying to sort an array based on specific conditions, you're not alone. In this guide, we'll break down a typical scenario and provide a clear solution to fix the sorting issues you're experiencing.

Understanding the Problem

The goal is to filter an array named wordList through specific criteria:

Filter the array so that it includes only elements containing a certain searchTerm.

Sort the filtered results so that words starting with the searchTerm appear first.

Sort the remaining words by their length, placing the shortest words at the top.

Here's an example expression that aims to do this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

However, this approach leads to two typescript errors:

The left-hand side of an arithmetic operation must be of type 'any', 'number', 'bigint' or an enum type. ts(2362)

The right-hand side of an arithmetic operation must be of type 'any', 'number', 'bigint' or an enum type. ts(2363)

These errors occur because the startsWith() method returns a boolean value. When attempting to subtract these boolean values, TypeScript throws an error because it doesn't operate with arithmetic on booleans.

The Solution: Adjusting Your Sort Function

To resolve this issue, we need to revise our sorting approach. Instead of trying to perform arithmetic on boolean values, we can explicitly define how we want to sort based on conditions.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Update the Sorting Logic: Modify the sorting to return -1, 1, or 0 based on whether one word starts with the searchTerm and how their lengths compare.

Write a New Sorting Function: Here's how you can write the sorting logic using a compare function:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Final Implementation

Here's how your complete filtering and sorting might look in your code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By adjusting how we implement the sorting logic in TypeScript, we ensure that our filter and sort functionality works smoothly without running into type errors. Remember, TypeScript enforces strict typing, so it’s crucial to ensure your variables return expected types, especially when doing arithmetic operations. With these adjustments, your sort() function should work effectively to meet your sorting requirements!

If you have any questions or further challenges, feel free to reach out or leave a comment below. Happy coding!