Sorting an array of JavaScript objects

Here's a more flexible version, which allows you to create reusable sort functions, and sort by any field.

var sort_by = function(field, reverse, primer){

   var key = primer ? 
       function(x) {return primer(x[field])} : 
       function(x) {return x[field]};

   reverse = [-1, 1][+!!reverse];

   return function (a, b) {
       return a = key(a), b = key(b), reverse * ((a > b) - (b > a));
     } 
}

Now you can sort by any field at will...

var homes = [{

   "h_id": "3",
   "city": "Dallas",
   "state": "TX",
   "zip": "75201",
   "price": "162500"

}, {

   "h_id": "4",
   "city": "Bevery Hills",
   "state": "CA",
   "zip": "90210",
   "price": "319250"

}, {

   "h_id": "5",
   "city": "New York",
   "state": "NY",
   "zip": "00010",
   "price": "962500"

}];

// Sort by price high to low
homes.sort(sort_by('price', true, parseInt));

// Sort by city, case-insensitive, A-Z
homes.sort(sort_by('city', false, function(a){return a.toUpperCase()}));

To sort it you need to create a comparator function taking two arguments and then call the sort function with that comparator function as follows:

// a and b are object elements of your array
function mycomparator(a,b) {
  return parseInt(a.price) - parseInt(b.price);

}

If you want to sort ascending change parseInt(a.price) - parseInt(b.price) to parseInt(b.price) - parseInt(a.price). Note the change from a to b.

To do the sort

homes.sort(mycomparator);

You want to sort it in Javascript, right? What you want is the sort() function. In this case you need to write a comparator function and pass it to sort(), so something like this:

function comparator(a, b) {
    return parseInt(a["price"]) - parseInt(b["price"]);
}

var json = { "homes": [ /* your previous data */ ] };
console.log(json["homes"].sort(comparator));

Your comparator takes one of each of the nested hashes inside the array and decides which one is higher by checking the "price" field.

for string sorting in case some one needs it,

var dataArr = {  

    "hello": [{
    "id": 114,
    "keyword": "zzzzzz",
    "region": "Sri Lanka",
    "supportGroup": "administrators",
    "category": "Category2"
}, {
    "id": 115,
    "keyword": "aaaaa",
    "region": "Japan",
    "supportGroup": "developers",
    "category": "Category2"
}]

};
var sortArray = dataArr['hello'];
sortArray.sort(function(a,b) {
    if ( a.region < b.region )
        return -1;
    if ( a.region > b.region )
        return 1;
    return 0;
} );

This is a nice JQuery plug in:

http://plugins.jquery.com/project/sort (Wayback Machine Link)

Here is a culmination of all answers above.

Fiddle validation: http://jsfiddle.net/bobberino/4qqk3/

var sortOn = function (arr, prop, reverse, numeric) {

    // Ensure there's a property
    if (!prop || !arr) {
        return arr
    }

    // Set up sort function
    var sort_by = function (field, rev, primer) {

        // Return the required a,b function
        return function (a, b) {

            // Reset a, b to the field
            a = primer(a[field]), b = primer(b[field]);

            // Do actual sorting, reverse as needed
            return ((a < b) ? -1 : ((a > b) ? 1 : 0)) * (rev ? -1 : 1);
        }

    }

    // Distinguish between numeric and string to prevent 100's from coming before smaller
    // e.g.
    // 1
    // 20
    // 3
    // 4000
    // 50

    if (numeric) {

        // Do sort "in place" with sort_by function
        arr.sort(sort_by(prop, reverse, function (a) {

            // - Force value to a string.
            // - Replace any non numeric characters.
            // - Parse as float to allow 0.02 values.
            return parseFloat(String(a).replace(/[^0-9.-]+/g, ''));

        }));
    } else {

        // Do sort "in place" with sort_by function
        arr.sort(sort_by(prop, reverse, function (a) {

            // - Force value to string.
            return String(a).toUpperCase();

        }));
    }


}

I also worked with some kind of rating and multiple fields sort:

arr = [
    {type:'C', note:834},
    {type:'D', note:732},
    {type:'D', note:008},
    {type:'F', note:474},
    {type:'P', note:283},
    {type:'P', note:165},
    {type:'X', note:173},
    {type:'Z', note:239},
];

arr.sort(function(a,b){        
    var _a = ((a.type==='C')?'0':(a.type==='P')?'1':'2');
    _a += (a.type.localeCompare(b.type)===-1)?'0':'1';
    _a += (a.note>b.note)?'1':'0';
    var _b = ((b.type==='C')?'0':(b.type==='P')?'1':'2');
    _b += (b.type.localeCompare(a.type)===-1)?'0':'1';
    _b += (b.note>a.note)?'1':'0';
    return parseInt(_a) - parseInt(_b);
});

Result

[
    {"type":"C","note":834},
    {"type":"P","note":165},
    {"type":"P","note":283},
    {"type":"D","note":8},
    {"type":"D","note":732},
    {"type":"F","note":474},
    {"type":"X","note":173},
    {"type":"Z","note":239}
]

You can use the JavaScript sort method with a callback function:

function compareASC(homeA, homeB)
{
    return parseFloat(homeA.price) - parseFloat(homeB.price);
}

function compareDESC(homeA, homeB)
{
    return parseFloat(homeB.price) - parseFloat(homeA.price);
}

// Sort ASC
homes.sort(compareASC);

// Sort DESC
homes.sort(compareDESC);

For sorting a array you must define a comparator function. This function always be different on your desired sorting pattern or order(i.e. ascending or descending).

Let create some functions that sort an array ascending or descending and that contains object or string or numeric values.

function sorterAscending(a,b) {
    return a-b;
}

function sorterDescending(a,b) {
    return b-a;
}

function sorterPriceAsc(a,b) {
    return parseInt(a['price']) - parseInt(b['price']);
}

function sorterPriceDes(a,b) {
    return parseInt(b['price']) - parseInt(b['price']);
}

Sort numbers (alphabetically and ascending):

var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();

Sort numbers (alphabetically and descending):

var fruits = ["Banana", "Orange", "Apple", "Mango"];
fruits.sort();
fruits.reverse();

Sort numbers (numerically and ascending):

var points = [40,100,1,5,25,10];
points.sort(sorterAscending());

Sort numbers (numerically and descending):

var points = [40,100,1,5,25,10];
points.sort(sorterDescending());

As above use sorterPriceAsc and sorterPriceDes method with your array with desired key.

homes.sort(sorterPriceAsc()) or homes.sort(sorterPriceDes())