Tanstack Table Core Sorting

This skill builds on core, table-features, and client-vs-server. Sorting state describes order; client processing requires a sorted model and server processing requires sorted input.

Setup

import {
  createSortedRowModel,
  rowSortingFeature,
  sortFn_alphanumeric,
  sortFn_text,
  tableFeatures,
} from '@tanstack/table-core'

export const features = tableFeatures({
  rowSortingFeature,
  sortedRowModel: createSortedRowModel(),
  sortFns: { alphanumeric: sortFn_alphanumeric, text: sortFn_text },
})

Import individual sortFn_* built-ins and register only those your columns reference by string name or that sortFn: 'auto' should resolve for your data types. The full sortFns registry object still works but bundles every built-in; numeric columns fall back to a basic comparator without registration.

Core Patterns

const options = { enableSortingRemoval: false, enableMultiSort: true }
const numericColumn = { sortUndefined: 'last' as const }

Configure sort cycles and undefined placement to match the product rather than relying on implicit defaults.

Common Mistakes

[CRITICAL] Expecting manual mode to reorder

Wrong: const options = { data: unsortedRows, manualSorting: true }

Correct: const options = { data: serverSortedRows, manualSorting: true }

Manual sorting bypasses sortedRowModel and trusts incoming order.

Source: packages/table-core/src/features/row-sorting/rowSortingFeature.types.ts

[HIGH] Reversing inside the comparator

Wrong: const newest: SortFn<any, any> = (a, b, id) => b.getValue<number>(id) - a.getValue<number>(id)

Correct: const numeric: SortFn<any, any> = (a, b, id) => a.getValue<number>(id) - b.getValue<number>(id)

Return ascending comparison only; Table reverses it when sorting is descending.

Source: docs/framework/react/guide/sorting.md#custom-sorting-functions

[MEDIUM] Leaving ambiguous sort policy

Wrong: const options = { enableSortingRemoval: true }

Correct: const options = { enableSortingRemoval: false }; const rankColumn = { sortUndefined: 'last' as const }

Undefined placement and removal cycles can differ from expected product behavior unless configured.

Source: packages/table-core/src/features/row-sorting/rowSortingFeature.types.ts

API Discovery

Inspect node_modules/@tanstack/table-core/dist/features/row-sorting/ and dist/features/row-sorting/sortFns.d.ts for current names and comparator contracts.