Programming Tips - Java: How to make my class work with Collections.sort()

Date: 2016mar12 Update: 2025oct11 Language: Java Keywords: Comparator Q. Java: How to make my class work with Collections.sort() A. Implement Comparable as shown in this full example:
import java.util.Collections; import java.lang.Comparable; import java.util.ArrayList; class Demo { static class MyEntry implements Comparable<MyEntry> { private String mData; public MyEntry(final String s) { mData = s; } @Override public int compareTo(MyEntry b) { return mData.compareTo(b.mData); } @Override public String toString() { return mData; } } public static final void main(String[] args) { ArrayList<MyEntry> a = new ArrayList<MyEntry>(); a.add(new MyEntry("cherry")); a.add(new MyEntry("banana")); a.add(new MyEntry("apple")); Collections.sort(a); System.out.println("sorted=" + a); } }
Output:
sorted=[apple, banana, cherry]