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std::ranges::stable_sort

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Algorithm library
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Constrained algorithms, e.g. ranges::copy, ranges::sort, ...
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(C++17)
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(until C++17)(C++11)
(C++20)(C++20)
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(C++17)

Sorting and related operations
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(C++11)    

Sorting operations
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(on partitioned ranges)
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(C++11)
(C++17)
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Constrained algorithms
All names in this menu belong to namespace std::ranges
Non-modifying sequence operations
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Specialized <memory> algorithms
Return types
 
Defined in header <algorithm>
Call signature
template< std::random_access_iterator I, std::sentinel_for<I> S,
          class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity >
    requires std::sortable<I, Comp, Proj>
I stable_sort( I first, S last, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );
(1) (since C++20)
(constexpr since C++26)
template< ranges::random_access_range R,
          class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity >
    requires std::sortable<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Comp, Proj>
ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R>
    stable_sort( R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );
(2) (since C++20)
(constexpr since C++26)
template< /*execution-policy*/ Ep,
          std::random_access_iterator I, std::sized_sentinel_for<I> S,
          class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity >
    requires std::sortable<I, Comp, Proj>
I stable_sort( Ep&& policy, I first, S last,
               Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );
(3) (since C++26)
template< /*execution-policy*/ Ep, /*sized-random-access-range*/ R,
          class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity >
    requires std::sortable<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Comp, Proj>
ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R>
    stable_sort( Ep&& policy, R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {} );
(4) (since C++26)

For the definition of /*execution-policy*/, see this page; for the definition of /*sized-random-access-range*/, see this page.

1,2) Sorts the elements in the target range [firstlast) or r with respect to the comparator comp and projection proj. The order of equivalent elements is guaranteed to be preserved.
3,4) Same as (1,2), but executed according to policy.

The function-like entities described on this page are algorithm function objects (informally known as niebloids), that is:

Parameters

first, last - the iterator-sentinel pair defining the target range
r - the target range
comp - the comparator to be applied to the (projected) elements
proj - the projection to be applied to the elements
policy - the execution policy to use

Return value

The past-the-end iterator of the target range.

Complexity

Given N as ranges::distance(first, last) or ranges::distance(r):

1-4) 𝓞(N·log2(N)) applications of comp (or only 𝓞(N·log(N)) comparisons if enough extra memory is available), and twice as many applications of proj.

Notes

Feature-test macro Value Std Feature
__cpp_lib_constexpr_algorithms 202306L (C++26) constexpr stable sorting

Possible implementation

This implementation only shows the slower algorithm used when no additional memory is available. See also implementation in MSVC STL and libstdc++.

struct stable_sort_fn
{
    template<std::random_access_iterator I, std::sentinel_for<I> S,
             class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity>
        requires std::sortable<I, Comp, Proj>
    constexpr //< since C++26
    I operator()(I first, S last, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        auto count = ranges::distance(first, last);
        auto mid = first + count / 2;
        auto last_it = first + count;
        
        if (count <= 1)
            return last_it;
        
        (*this)(first, mid, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj));
        (*this)(mid, last_it, std::ref(comp), std::ref(proj));
        
        ranges::inplace_merge(first, mid, last_it);
        
        return last_it;
    }
    
    template<ranges::random_access_range R,
             class Comp = ranges::less, class Proj = std::identity>
        requires std::sortable<ranges::iterator_t<R>, Comp, Proj>
    constexpr //< since C++26
    ranges::borrowed_iterator_t<R>
        operator()(R&& r, Comp comp = {}, Proj proj = {}) const
    {
        return (*this)(ranges::begin(r),
                       ranges::next(ranges::begin(r), ranges::end(r)),
                       std::move(comp), std::move(proj));
    }
};

inline constexpr stable_sort_fn stable_sort{};

Example

#include <algorithm>
#include <array>
#include <functional>
#include <iomanip>
#include <iostream>

void print(const auto& seq)
{
    for (const auto& elem : seq)
        std::cout << elem << ' ';
    std::cout << '\n';
}

struct Particle
{
    std::string name; double mass; // MeV
    friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Particle& p)
    {
        return os << '\n' << std::left << std::setw(8) << p.name << " : " << p.mass;
    }
};

int main()
{
    std::array s{5, 7, 4, 2, 8, 6, 1, 9, 0, 3};
    
    // sort using the default operator<
    std::ranges::stable_sort(s);
    print(s);
    
    // sort using a standard library compare function object
    std::ranges::stable_sort(s, std::ranges::greater());
    print(s);
    
    // sort using a custom function object
    struct
    {
        bool operator()(int a, int b) const { return a < b; }
    } customLess;
    std::ranges::stable_sort(s.begin(), s.end(), customLess);
    print(s);
    
    // sort using a lambda expression
    std::ranges::stable_sort(s, [](int a, int b) { return a > b; });
    print(s);
    
    // sort with projection
    Particle particles[]
    {
        {"Electron", 0.511}, {"Muon", 105.66}, {"Tau", 1776.86},
        {"Positron", 0.511}, {"Proton", 938.27}, {"Neutron", 939.57}
    };
    print(particles);
    std::ranges::stable_sort(particles, {}, &Particle::name); //< sorts by name
    print(particles);
    std::ranges::stable_sort(particles, {}, &Particle::mass); //< sorts by mass
    print(particles);
}

Output:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Electron : 0.511
Muon     : 105.66
Tau      : 1776.86
Positron : 0.511
Proton   : 938.27
Neutron  : 939.57

Electron : 0.511
Muon     : 105.66
Neutron  : 939.57
Positron : 0.511
Proton   : 938.27
Tau      : 1776.86

Electron : 0.511
Positron : 0.511
Muon     : 105.66
Proton   : 938.27
Neutron  : 939.57
Tau      : 1776.86

See also

sorts a range of elements while preserving relative order between equivalent elements
(function template) [edit]
sorts a range of elements
(algorithm function object)[edit]
sorts the first N elements of a range
(algorithm function object)[edit]
divides elements into two groups while preserving their relative order within each group
(algorithm function object)[edit]