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Ultimate Guide: Sort 2D Arrays by Column in PHP

Master PHP array sorting with our complete guide. Learn how to sort 2D arrays by column values using array_multisort() and array_column(). Includes examples for all sorting scenarios.

#array-column#array-multisort#data-structure-sorting#multidimensional-array#php-array-sorting#php-programming#php-sorting-techniques
Question

Sort a 2D array by a column value

How can I sort this array by the value of the “order” key? Even though the values are currently sequential, they will not always be.

php
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4
            [title] => Flower
            [order] => 3
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594
            [title] => Free
            [order] => 2
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b
            [title] => Ready
            [order] => 1
        )
)
NeuroAgent

You can sort a 2D array by a specific column value using PHP’s array_multisort() function combined with array_column(). For your example array, the solution is:

php
array_multisort(array_column($yourArray, 'order'), SORT_ASC, $yourArray);

This will sort the array in ascending order based on the “order” key values.

Contents

Basic Solution for Your Example

For your specific array, here’s the complete implementation:

php
<?php
// Your original array
$items = [
    [
        'hashtag' => 'a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4',
        'title' => 'Flower',
        'order' => 3
    ],
    [
        'hashtag' => 'b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594',
        'title' => 'Free',
        'order' => 2
    ],
    [
        'hashtag' => 'e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b',
        'title' => 'Ready',
        'order' => 1
    ]
];

// Sort by the 'order' column in ascending order
array_multisort(array_column($items, 'order'), SORT_ASC, $items);

// Print the sorted array
print_r($items);
?>

The result will be:

php
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b
            [title] => Ready
            [order] => 1
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594
            [title] => Free
            [order] => 2
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [hashtag] => a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4
            [title] => Flower
            [order] => 3
        )
)

Understanding the Solution

The array_multisort() function sorts multiple arrays or multidimensional arrays by columns. When combined with array_column(), it becomes a powerful tool for sorting 2D arrays.

How It Works:

  1. array_column($items, 'order') extracts all values from the “order” key into a single array: [3, 2, 1]

  2. array_multisort() sorts this extracted array and then applies the same sorting order to the original multidimensional array

  3. SORT_ASC specifies ascending order (you can also use SORT_DESC for descending)

Sorting in Different Orders

Ascending Order (Default)

php
array_multisort(array_column($items, 'order'), SORT_ASC, $items);

Descending Order

php
array_multisort(array_column($items, 'order'), SORT_DESC, $items);

Numeric Sorting (for numeric values)

php
array_multisort(array_column($items, 'order'), SORT_NUMERIC, SORT_ASC, $items);

String Sorting (for alphabetical order)

php
array_multisort(array_column($items, 'title'), SORT_STRING, SORT_ASC, $items);

Advanced Sorting Techniques

Sorting by Multiple Columns

You can sort by multiple columns to handle ties:

php
// Sort by 'order' first, then by 'title' for items with same order
array_multisort(
    array_column($items, 'order'), SORT_ASC,
    array_column($items, 'title'), SORT_ASC,
    $items
);

Custom Sorting Logic

For more complex sorting requirements:

php
// Sort by order, but with custom priority for certain values
$sort = [];
foreach ($items as $k => $v) {
    $sort[$k] = $v['order'];
    // Add custom logic here if needed
}

array_multisort($sort, SORT_ASC, $items);

Alternative Approaches

Using usort() with Custom Function

php
function sortByOrder($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
}

usort($items, 'sortByOrder');

Using array_uasort() for Associative Arrays

php
function sortByOrder($a, $b) {
    return $a['order'] <=> $b['order'];
}

array_uasort($items, 'sortByOrder');

Using array_reduce() for Complex Sorting

php
$sorted = array_reduce($items, function($carry, $item) {
    $carry[$item['order']][] = $item;
    return $carry;
}, []);

// Then flatten the array in the desired order
$sorted = array_merge(...$sorted);

Performance Considerations

Performance Comparison

array_multisort() + array_column():

  • Pros: Fastest for most cases, built-in functions, handles large arrays efficiently
  • Cons: Less flexible for complex sorting logic

usort():

  • Pros: More flexible, allows custom comparison logic
  • Cons: Slower for very large arrays, can be more complex to write

When to Use Each Method

  • Use array_multisort() for simple, fast sorting by one or more columns
  • Use usort() when you need custom comparison logic
  • Use array_uasort() when you need to maintain key associations

Complete Working Example

Here’s a complete, practical example that handles various scenarios:

php
<?php
class ArraySorter {
    /**
     * Sort a 2D array by a specific column
     * 
     * @param array $array The 2D array to sort
     * @param string $column The column to sort by
     * @param string $order 'ASC' or 'DESC'
     * @param int $sortType SORT_REGULAR, SORT_NUMERIC, or SORT_STRING
     * @return array The sorted array
     */
    public static function sortByColumn($array, $column, $order = 'ASC', $sortType = SORT_REGULAR) {
        if (empty($array) || !is_array($array)) {
            return $array;
        }

        $columnValues = array_column($array, $column);
        
        $sortOrder = ($order === 'DESC') ? SORT_DESC : SORT_ASC;
        
        array_multisort($columnValues, $sortType, $sortOrder, $array);
        
        return $array;
    }

    /**
     * Sort by multiple columns with different orders
     * 
     * @param array $array The 2D array to sort
     * @param array $columns Array of ['column_name' => 'ASC/DESC']
     * @param int $sortType SORT_REGULAR, SORT_NUMERIC, or SORT_STRING
     * @return array The sorted array
     */
    public static function sortByMultipleColumns($array, $columns, $sortType = SORT_REGULAR) {
        if (empty($array) || !is_array($array) || empty($columns)) {
            return $array;
        }

        $sortArgs = [];
        foreach ($columns as $column => $order) {
            $sortArgs[] = array_column($array, $column);
            $sortArgs[] = ($order === 'DESC') ? SORT_DESC : SORT_ASC;
            $sortArgs[] = $sortType;
        }
        
        $sortArgs[] = &$array;
        
        call_user_func_array('array_multisort', $sortArgs);
        
        return $array;
    }
}

// Example usage:
$items = [
    [
        'hashtag' => 'a7e87329b5eab8578f4f1098a152d6f4',
        'title' => 'Flower',
        'order' => 3
    ],
    [
        'hashtag' => 'b24ce0cd392a5b0b8dedc66c25213594',
        'title' => 'Free',
        'order' => 2
    ],
    [
        'hashtag' => 'e7d31fc0602fb2ede144d18cdffd816b',
        'title' => 'Ready',
        'order' => 1
    ],
    [
        'hashtag' => 'f1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef',
        'title' => 'Apple',
        'order' => 1
    ]
];

// Sort by 'order' column ascending
$sortedByOrder = ArraySorter::sortByColumn($items, 'order', 'ASC');
echo "Sorted by order (ASC):\n";
print_r($sortedByOrder);

// Sort by 'order' column descending
$sortedByOrderDesc = ArraySorter::sortByColumn($items, 'order', 'DESC');
echo "\nSorted by order (DESC):\n";
print_r($sortedByOrderDesc);

// Sort by multiple columns: first by 'order' ASC, then by 'title' ASC
$sortedMultiple = ArraySorter::sortByMultipleColumns($items, [
    'order' => 'ASC',
    'title' => 'ASC'
]);
echo "\nSorted by multiple columns:\n";
print_r($sortedMultiple);
?>

This complete solution provides a robust way to sort 2D arrays by column values, with error handling and support for various sorting scenarios.

Sources

  1. PHP: array_multisort - Manual - Official PHP documentation explaining the array_multisort function
  2. php - Sort a 2d array by a column value - Stack Overflow - Community discussion with practical examples and one-line solutions
  3. How to Sort Multi-dimensional Array by Key Value in PHP - CodexWorld - Tutorial showing array_column and array_multisort combination
  4. How to Sort Multi-Dimensional Array by Key Value in PHP? - GeeksforGeeks - Comprehensive guide with examples
  5. php - Sort multi-dimensional array by specific key - Stack Overflow - Additional approach examples and best practices
  6. PHP array_multisort() Function - W3Schools - Beginner-friendly explanation with examples
  7. How to sort a multi-dimension array by value in PHP - Virendra’s TechTalk - Alternative approach using usort function

Conclusion

Sorting a 2D array by a specific column value in PHP is straightforward using the array_multisort() function combined with array_column(). Here are the key takeaways:

  • The most efficient method is array_multisort(array_column($array, 'column'), SORT_ASC, $array)
  • For simple sorting needs, this one-liner approach is fast and easy to implement
  • For complex sorting requirements, consider using usort() with custom comparison functions
  • Multiple column sorting is possible by chaining additional parameters in array_multisort()
  • Error handling should be implemented when working with dynamic data to prevent issues with missing keys

The solution provided works reliably with your example array and can handle various data types and sorting requirements. For production code, consider encapsulating the logic in a reusable function or class as demonstrated in the complete example.

How to sort a 2D array by multiple columns in PHP?What's the difference between array_multisort() and usort() for sorting arrays in PHP?How to sort a 2D array in descending order by column value?How to handle missing keys when sorting a 2D array by column in PHP?How to sort a 2D array alphabetically by string column in PHP?What are the performance differences between different array sorting methods in PHP?
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