sort command

sulekha

what is the algorithm used in the sort command ,for 2.6.24-21-generic linux kernels ?


gnashley

What sort command in the kernel? sort is a separate program, which uses glibc. It's part of the coreutils package, so you can get the sources and read for yourself.


Billymayday

/* Sort the array LINES with NLINES members, using TEMP for temporary space.
NLINES must be at least 2.
The input and output arrays are in reverse order, and LINES and
TEMP point just past the end of their respective arrays.

Use a recursive divide-and-conquer algorithm, in the style
suggested by Knuth volume 3 (2nd edition), exercise 5.2.4-23. Use
the optimization suggested by exercise 5.2.4-10; this requires room
for only 1.5*N lines, rather than the usual 2*N lines. Knuth
writes that this memory optimization was originally published by
D. A. Bell, Comp J. 1 (1958), 75. */

From coreutils 6.9