When You Need Lines in Order
Unsorted data is chaos. Whether you are organizing a list of names, sorting log entries by timestamp, or shuffling a playlist, having the right order makes all the difference. Spreadsheets can sort, but they struggle with massive text files. Command-line tools require syntax knowledge.
This line sorter handles it all—millions of lines, multiple sorting methods, with options for case sensitivity and duplicate removal. Everything runs in your browser, so your data stays private.
How to Sort Your Lines
- Paste your text or upload files containing lines to sort
- Choose your sort type: alphabetical, numerical, by length, or random
- Set ascending or descending order
- Configure options like case sensitivity and duplicate removal
- Click sort and download your ordered results
Sorting Methods Explained
Alphabetical Sorting
Classic dictionary order. Useful for organizing names, words, or any text where lexical order matters. Special characters and numbers sort before letters.
Numerical Sorting
Extracts numeric values and sorts by magnitude. Perfect for:
- Log files with line numbers or timestamps
- Data exports with numeric IDs
- Lists with quantities or measurements
Length-Based Sorting
Sorts by character count per line. Useful for finding short entries, organizing code by complexity, or grouping similar-length items together.
Random Shuffle
True randomization using the Fisher-Yates algorithm. Great for:
- Randomizing quiz questions or flashcards
- Shuffling playlists or reading lists
- Creating random test data orders
Combining with Other Tools
Sorting works well as part of a larger workflow:
- Filter your data first, then sort the results
- Remove duplicates before or after sorting
- Rearrange columns after sorting multi-column data
Frequently Asked Questions
What sorting methods are available?
You can sort alphabetically (A-Z or Z-A), numerically (by the numeric value in each line), by line length (shortest to longest or vice versa), or randomly shuffle all lines.
Does case sensitivity affect sorting?
Yes. When case sensitive is enabled, uppercase letters sort before lowercase (A comes before a). When disabled, 'Apple' and 'apple' are treated as equal for sorting purposes.
How does numerical sorting work?
Numerical sorting extracts the first number found in each line and sorts by that value. Lines without numbers are treated as zero. This is useful for sorting log files with timestamps or data with numeric prefixes.
Can I remove duplicates while sorting?
Yes. Enable the 'Remove Duplicates' option to keep only unique lines. This respects case sensitivity settings - with case insensitive mode, 'Hello' and 'hello' are considered duplicates.
How large of a file can I sort?
Our tool processes files with millions of lines efficiently. Processing happens in your browser using chunked reading, so the limit depends on your available system memory.