C program sorts elements in alphabetical order

Comprehensive Collection of C Programming Examples

In this example, you will learn how to sort user input strings in alphabetical order (dictionary order)5strings are sorted.

To understand this example, you should understand the followingC programmingTopic:

• C multidimensional array

• C programming string

• Use library functions for string operations in C language

Sort strings in alphabetical order

#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
int main() {
　　　char str[5][50], temp[50];
　　　printf("Input5string: ");
　　　//Get string input
　　　for (int i = 0; i <　5;　++i) {
　　　　　　fgets(str[i], sizeof(str[i]), stdin);
　　　}
　　　//Store strings in alphabetical order
　　　for (int i = 0; i <　5;　++i) {
　　　　　　for (int j = i　+　1; j <　5;　++j) {
　　　　　　　　　//Swap strings (if they are not in alphabetical order)
　　　　　　　　　if (strcmp(str[i], str[j]) > 0) {
　　　　　　　　　　　　strcpy(temp, str[i]);
　　　　　　　　　　　　strcpy(str[i], str[j]);
　　　　　　　　　　　　strcpy(str[j], temp);
　　　　　　　　　}
　　　　　　}
　　　}
　　　printf("\nIn alphabetical order: \n");
　　　for (int i = 0; i <　5;　++i) {
　　　　　　fputs(str[i], stdout);
　　　}
　　　return 0;
}

Output result

Input5string: R programming
JavaScript
Java
C programming
C++　programming
In alphabetical order:
C programming
C++　programming
Java
JavaScript
R programming

To solve this program, a two-dimensional string named str was created. This string can accommodate up to5strings, and each string can contain at most50 character (including null character).

In the program, we use two library functions:

• strcmp() - Compare strings

• strcpy() - Copy a string

These functions are used to compare strings and sort them in the correct order.

Comprehensive Collection of C Programming Examples