# SortDescriptor A serializable description of how to sort numerics and strings. ``` struct SortDescriptor ``` ## Topics ### Creating Sort Descriptors [`init?(NSSortDescriptor, comparing: Compared.Type)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparing:)) Creates a sort descriptor using a sort descriptor and a type that you specify. ### Using Sort Descriptors [`func compare(Compared, Compared) -> ComparisonResult`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/compare(_:_:)) Provides the relative ordering of two elements. ### Inspecting Sort Descriptors [`var order: SortOrder`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/order) The sort order that the sort descriptor uses to compare. ### Initializers [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:)-16bsg) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:)-1xorc) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:)-7vg3x) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:)-9m8l9) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:order:)-2ouai) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:order:)-4qaip) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:order:)-76h8b) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, comparator: String.StandardComparator, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:comparator:order:)-pz7l) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-1t1a5) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-29e6k) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-29pto) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-2u61k) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-3fgjr) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-3iwfh) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-3wlt2) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-3wozy) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-49ozr) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-4b7jd) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-4doe9) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-4uo4r) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-4z0c9) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-51msp) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-52see) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-5lbot) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-5myfn) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-5s8d4) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-5y1wt) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-7rdjb) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-86gfd) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-8flg7) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-8jc9k) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-8tm2c) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-95o7r) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-9noh7) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-9xg3w) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-ks7r) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-kwgp) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-qlnj) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-rnot) [`init(any KeyPath & Sendable, order: SortOrder)`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/init(_:order:)-z7th) ### Instance Properties [`var keyPath: PartialKeyPath?`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/keyPath) The key path to the field for comparison. [`var stringComparator: String.StandardComparator?`](/documentation/Foundation/SortDescriptor/stringComparator) A `String.StandardComparator` value. ## Relationships ### Conforms To [`Decodable`](/documentation/Swift/Decodable) [`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable) [`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable) [`Encodable`](/documentation/Swift/Encodable) [`SortComparator`](/documentation/Foundation/SortComparator) [`SendableMetatype`](/documentation/Swift/SendableMetatype) [`Sendable`](/documentation/Swift/Sendable) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)