Javascript Reference - JavaScript String localeCompare() Method

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localeCompare() compares two strings and returns:

• If the string is alphabetically before the string argument, a negative number is returned.
• If the strings are equal, 0 is returned.
• If the string is alphabetically after the string argument, a positive number is returned.

Browser Support

localeCompare()	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Syntax

string.localeCompare(anotherString);

Parameter Values

Return Value

Returns one of three values:

• -1 if the reference string is sorted before the anotherString
• 0 if the two strings are equal
• 1 if the reference string is sorted after the anotherString

Example

var stringValue = "A"; 
console.log(stringValue.localeCompare("a")); //-32
console.log(stringValue.localeCompare("A")); //0 
console.log(stringValue.localeCompare("B")); //-1 
/*from ww  w  . j a v  a 2 s .co  m*/
function determineOrder(value) { 
    var result = stringValue.localeCompare(value); 
    if (result < 0){
        console.log("before"); 
    } else if (result > 0) { 
        console.log("after"); 
    } else { 
        console.log("equal"); 
    } 
}
determineOrder("a"); 
determineOrder("A"); 
determineOrder("B"); 

The code above generates the following result.

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