Maintains ordering within an array field at the database level. SurrealDB automatically keeps the array sorted after every modification.

Syntax

@sort          # ascending order (default)
@sort(true)    # ascending order (explicit)
@sort(false)   # descending order

Ascending Order

@sort or @sort(true) sorts values in ascending order (A–Z, 0–9, earliest–latest):

model Student {
  id Record @id
  name String
  sortedScores Int[] @sort
}

await db.Student.create({
  data: { name: 'Alice', sortedScores: [85, 42, 97, 63] },
});
// sortedScores stored as: [42, 63, 85, 97]

await db.Student.updateMany({
  where: { id: studentId },
  data: { sortedScores: { push: [55] } },
});
// sortedScores becomes: [42, 55, 63, 85, 97]

Descending Order

@sort(false) sorts values in descending order (Z–A, 9–0, latest–earliest):

model Feed {
  id Record @id
  name String
  recentDates Date[] @sort(false)
}

Values are sorted from highest to lowest, so the most recent dates appear first.

Combining with @distinct

@sort and @distinct can be used together for unique, ordered arrays:

model Student {
  id Record @id
  name String
  uniqueSortedTags String[] @distinct @sort
  priorities Int[] @distinct @sort(false)
}

await db.Student.create({
  data: {
    name: 'Bob',
    uniqueSortedTags: ['zebra', 'apple', 'mango', 'apple'],
    priorities: [3, 1, 5, 3, 2],
  },
});
// uniqueSortedTags: ['apple', 'mango', 'zebra'] — deduplicated + ascending
// priorities: [5, 3, 2, 1] — deduplicated + descending

On Object Fields

@sort can be applied to array fields within object definitions:

object Preferences {
  favoriteColors String[] @sort
  priorityLevels Int[] @sort(false)
}

model User {
  id Record @id
  preferences Preferences
}

The sorting is enforced at the database level, just like on model fields.

Applicable Types

@sort can be applied to any array field (on models or objects):

model Example {
  id Record @id
  sortedNames String[] @sort
  sortedScores Int[] @sort
  sortedRatings Float[] @sort
  sortedDates Date[] @sort(false)
  sortedUuids Uuid[] @sort
  sortedDurations Duration[] @sort
  sortedNumbers Number[] @sort
  sortedBytes Bytes[] @sort
  sortedGeometries Geometry[] @sort
  sortedAnyValues Any[] @sort
}

@sort cannot be used on Relation[] fields (virtual) or on Record[] fields that are paired with a Relation (the PK side is implicitly distinct). Use @set if you need both deduplication and sorting.