Comparator and Comparable

Introduction

In Java applications, we often need to compare and sort objects. For primitive data types like integers or strings, Java already knows how to compare them. However, for custom objects, we need to tell Java how they should be compared and ordered.

Java provides two interfaces to help with this:

• The Comparable interface allows a class to define its natural ordering
• The Comparator interface provides external comparison logic that can be used for different sorting criteria

In this lab, you will learn how to implement both interfaces and use them to sort collections of objects in various ways.

Skills Graph

Understanding the Comparable Interface

The Comparable interface is used when a class has a natural ordering. For example, strings are naturally ordered alphabetically, and integers are naturally ordered numerically.

When a class implements the Comparable interface, it must define a compareTo() method that specifies how instances of the class should be ordered.

Creating a Basic Student Class

Let's create a simple Student class to demonstrate how to use the Comparable interface. We'll define a student with a name, GPA, and registration number.

1. Open the WebIDE and create a new file named Student.java in the ~/project directory with the following code:

public class Student implements Comparable<Student> {
    private String name;
    private double gpa;
    private int regNo;

    public Student(String name, double gpa, int regNo) {
        this.name = name;
        this.gpa = gpa;
        this.regNo = regNo;
    }

    // Implementing the compareTo method from Comparable interface
    @Override
    public int compareTo(Student other) {
        // Compare students based on GPA
        if (this.gpa < other.gpa) {
            return -1;
        } else if (this.gpa > other.gpa) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    }

    // Getters
    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public double getGpa() {
        return gpa;
    }

    public int getRegNo() {
        return regNo;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return name + ", GPA: " + gpa + ", Reg No: " + regNo;
    }
}

Let's understand this code:

• The class Student implements the Comparable<Student> interface
• The compareTo() method compares students based on their GPA
• If the current student's GPA is less than the other student's GPA, we return -1
• If the current student's GPA is greater than the other student's GPA, we return 1
• If the GPAs are equal, we return 0

Now, let's create a simple test program to see how we can use the Comparable interface to sort students.

2. Create a new file named ComparableDemo.java in the ~/project directory with the following code:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.List;

public class ComparableDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.2, 103));
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.9, 104));

        // Print the unsorted list
        System.out.println("Unsorted Student List:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Sort the list using the natural ordering (defined by compareTo method)
        Collections.sort(students);

        // Print the sorted list
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by GPA (using Comparable):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program:

1. Creates a list of Student objects

2. Prints the unsorted list

3. Sorts the list using Collections.sort() which uses the natural ordering defined by the compareTo() method

4. Prints the sorted list

5. Now, let's compile and run our code to see the output:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java ComparableDemo.java
java ComparableDemo

You should see output similar to:

Unsorted Student List:
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104

Students sorted by GPA (using Comparable):
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104

As you can see, the students are now sorted by their GPA in ascending order. This is the natural ordering we defined in the compareTo() method.

Creating and Using Comparators

While the Comparable interface defines a natural ordering for a class, sometimes we need to sort objects based on different criteria. This is where the Comparator interface comes in.

The Comparator interface allows us to define custom ordering logic that is separate from the class being compared. This means we can have multiple ways to sort the same class of objects.

Creating a Comparator for Name-Based Sorting

Let's create a Comparator that sorts students by their names alphabetically:

1. Create a new file named StudentNameComparator.java in the ~/project directory with the following code:

import java.util.Comparator;

public class StudentNameComparator implements Comparator<Student> {
    @Override
    public int compare(Student s1, Student s2) {
        // Compare students based on their names
        return s1.getName().compareTo(s2.getName());
    }
}

This Comparator:

• Implements the Comparator<Student> interface
• Defines a compare() method that takes two Student objects
• Compares the students based on their names using the String class's own compareTo() method

2. Now, let's create a program to demonstrate how to use this Comparator. Create a file named ComparatorDemo.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.List;

public class ComparatorDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.2, 103));
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.9, 104));

        // Print the unsorted list
        System.out.println("Unsorted Student List:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Sort by name using the StudentNameComparator
        Collections.sort(students, new StudentNameComparator());

        // Print the list sorted by name
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by name (using Comparator):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program:

1. Creates a list of Student objects

2. Prints the unsorted list

3. Sorts the list using Collections.sort() with our custom StudentNameComparator

4. Prints the sorted list

5. Let's compile and run our code:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java StudentNameComparator.java ComparatorDemo.java
java ComparatorDemo

You should see output similar to:

Unsorted Student List:
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104

Students sorted by name (using Comparator):
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102

As you can see, the students are now sorted alphabetically by name, rather than by GPA.

Using Lambda Expressions for Comparators

Java 8 introduced lambda expressions, which can simplify creating comparators. Instead of creating a separate class, we can define the comparison logic inline.

4. Create a new file named LambdaComparatorDemo.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class LambdaComparatorDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.2, 103));
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.9, 104));

        // Sort by registration number using lambda expression
        Collections.sort(students, (s1, s2) -> s1.getRegNo() - s2.getRegNo());

        // Print the list sorted by registration number
        System.out.println("Students sorted by registration number (using lambda):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Sort by name using method reference
        Collections.sort(students, Comparator.comparing(Student::getName));

        // Print the list sorted by name
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by name (using method reference):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program demonstrates:

1. Using a lambda expression to create a comparator that sorts students by registration number

2. Using the Comparator.comparing() method with a method reference to create a comparator that sorts students by name

3. Compile and run this code:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java LambdaComparatorDemo.java
java LambdaComparatorDemo

You should see output similar to:

Students sorted by registration number (using lambda):
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104

Students sorted by name (using method reference):
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102

The students are first sorted by registration number, and then by name.

Advanced Sorting Techniques

In real-world applications, we often need more complex sorting logic, such as:

• Sorting by multiple criteria (e.g., sort by GPA, and if GPAs are equal, sort by name)
• Sorting in reverse order
• Creating custom comparator chains

Let's explore these advanced techniques.

Sorting by Multiple Criteria

1. Create a new file named MultiCriteriaDemo.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class MultiCriteriaDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students with some having the same GPA
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.5, 103)); // Same GPA as John
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.8, 104));   // Same GPA as Mary
        students.add(new Student("Charlie", 3.2, 105));

        // Print the unsorted list
        System.out.println("Unsorted Student List:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Sort first by GPA, then by name
        Comparator<Student> byGpa = Comparator.comparing(Student::getGpa);
        Comparator<Student> byName = Comparator.comparing(Student::getName);

        // Combine the comparators using thenComparing
        Comparator<Student> byGpaThenName = byGpa.thenComparing(byName);

        // Sort the list
        Collections.sort(students, byGpaThenName);

        // Print the sorted list
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by GPA, then by name:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program:

1. Creates a list of students, with some having the same GPA

2. Creates a comparator for GPA and a comparator for name

3. Combines these comparators using the thenComparing() method

4. Sorts the students first by GPA, and then by name if GPAs are equal

5. Compile and run the code:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java MultiCriteriaDemo.java
java MultiCriteriaDemo

You should see output similar to:

Unsorted Student List:
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 104
Charlie, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 105

Students sorted by GPA, then by name:
Charlie, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 105
Alice, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 103
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Bob, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 104
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102

Notice that students with the same GPA (Alice and John with 3.5, Bob and Mary with 3.8) are sorted alphabetically.

Sorting in Reverse Order

3. Create a new file named ReverseOrderDemo.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class ReverseOrderDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.2, 103));
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.9, 104));
        students.add(new Student("Charlie", 3.0, 105));

        // Print the unsorted list
        System.out.println("Unsorted Student List:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Method 1: Using Collections.reverseOrder() with a comparator
        Comparator<Student> byGpa = Comparator.comparing(Student::getGpa);
        Comparator<Student> byGpaReversed = Collections.reverseOrder(byGpa);

        Collections.sort(students, byGpaReversed);

        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by GPA in descending order (Method 1):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Method 2: Using the reversed() method of Comparator
        Collections.sort(students, Comparator.comparing(Student::getName).reversed());

        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by name in reverse alphabetical order (Method 2):");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program demonstrates two ways to sort in reverse order:

1. Using Collections.reverseOrder() to reverse a comparator

2. Using the reversed() method of a comparator

3. Compile and run the code:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java ReverseOrderDemo.java
java ReverseOrderDemo

You should see output similar to:

Unsorted Student List:
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104
Charlie, GPA: 3.0, Reg No: 105

Students sorted by GPA in descending order (Method 1):
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103
Charlie, GPA: 3.0, Reg No: 105

Students sorted by name in reverse alphabetical order (Method 2):
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Charlie, GPA: 3.0, Reg No: 105
Bob, GPA: 3.9, Reg No: 104
Alice, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 103

The first sorting shows students in descending order by GPA, and the second sorting shows students in reverse alphabetical order by name.

Complex Sorting Chain

5. Let's create one more example that combines multiple criteria and reverse ordering. Create a file named ComplexSortingDemo.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;

public class ComplexSortingDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a list of students with varied data
        List<Student> students = new ArrayList<>();
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.5, 103)); // Same GPA as John
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.8, 104));   // Same GPA as Mary
        students.add(new Student("Charlie", 3.2, 105));
        students.add(new Student("David", 3.2, 106)); // Same GPA as Charlie

        // Print the unsorted list
        System.out.println("Unsorted Student List:");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }

        // Create a complex sorting chain:
        // 1. Sort by GPA in descending order
        // 2. If GPAs are equal, sort by name in ascending order
        // 3. If names are also equal, sort by registration number in descending order
        Comparator<Student> complexComparator = Comparator
            .comparing(Student::getGpa, Comparator.reverseOrder())
            .thenComparing(Student::getName)
            .thenComparing(Student::getRegNo, Comparator.reverseOrder());

        Collections.sort(students, complexComparator);

        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by complex criteria:");
        System.out.println("(GPA descending, then name ascending, then reg. number descending)");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
    }
}

This program creates a complex sorting chain that:

1. First sorts students by GPA in descending order

2. If GPAs are equal, sorts by name in ascending order

3. If both GPA and name are equal, sorts by registration number in descending order

4. Compile and run the code:

cd ~/project
javac Student.java ComplexSortingDemo.java
java ComplexSortingDemo

You should see output similar to:

Unsorted Student List:
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 103
Bob, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 104
Charlie, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 105
David, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 106

Students sorted by complex criteria:
(GPA descending, then name ascending, then reg. number descending)
Bob, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 104
Mary, GPA: 3.8, Reg No: 102
Alice, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 103
John, GPA: 3.5, Reg No: 101
Charlie, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 105
David, GPA: 3.2, Reg No: 106

In this output:

• Bob and Mary both have a GPA of 3.8, but Bob comes first alphabetically
• Alice and John both have a GPA of 3.5, but Alice comes first alphabetically
• Charlie and David both have a GPA of 3.2, and Charlie comes first alphabetically

This demonstrates how you can create complex, multi-level sorting logic by chaining comparators.

Building a Complete Sorting Application

Now that we've learned about the Comparable interface, the Comparator interface, and various sorting techniques, let's put everything together in a complete application.

We'll create a student management system that allows sorting students in different ways.

1. First, let's create an updated version of our Student class. This version will implement Comparable and include an improved toString() method for better display. Create a file named StudentManager.java in the ~/project directory:

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Scanner;

class Student implements Comparable<Student> {
    private String name;
    private double gpa;
    private int regNo;
    private String major;

    public Student(String name, double gpa, int regNo, String major) {
        this.name = name;
        this.gpa = gpa;
        this.regNo = regNo;
        this.major = major;
    }

    @Override
    public int compareTo(Student other) {
        // Default natural ordering by registration number
        return this.regNo - other.regNo;
    }

    // Getters
    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public double getGpa() {
        return gpa;
    }

    public int getRegNo() {
        return regNo;
    }

    public String getMajor() {
        return major;
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return String.format("%-10s | GPA: %.1f | Reg No: %-5d | Major: %-10s",
                            name, gpa, regNo, major);
    }
}

public class StudentManager {
    private List<Student> students;

    public StudentManager() {
        students = new ArrayList<>();
        // Add some sample students
        students.add(new Student("John", 3.5, 101, "Computer Science"));
        students.add(new Student("Mary", 3.8, 102, "Physics"));
        students.add(new Student("Alice", 3.5, 103, "Mathematics"));
        students.add(new Student("Bob", 3.9, 104, "Computer Science"));
        students.add(new Student("Charlie", 3.2, 105, "Physics"));
        students.add(new Student("David", 3.6, 106, "Mathematics"));
        students.add(new Student("Eve", 3.8, 107, "Biology"));
    }

    public void displayStudents() {
        System.out.println("----------------------------------------------------------");
        System.out.println("Name       | GPA   | Reg No | Major      ");
        System.out.println("----------------------------------------------------------");
        for (Student student : students) {
            System.out.println(student);
        }
        System.out.println("----------------------------------------------------------");
    }

    public void sortByNaturalOrder() {
        Collections.sort(students);
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by registration number (natural order):");
        displayStudents();
    }

    public void sortByName() {
        Collections.sort(students, Comparator.comparing(Student::getName));
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by name:");
        displayStudents();
    }

    public void sortByGpaDescending() {
        Collections.sort(students, Comparator.comparing(Student::getGpa).reversed());
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by GPA (descending):");
        displayStudents();
    }

    public void sortByMajorThenGpa() {
        Collections.sort(students,
            Comparator.comparing(Student::getMajor)
                     .thenComparing(Student::getGpa, Comparator.reverseOrder()));
        System.out.println("\nStudents sorted by major, then by GPA (descending):");
        displayStudents();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        StudentManager manager = new StudentManager();
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);

        while (true) {
            System.out.println("\nStudent Manager");
            System.out.println("1. Display students (unsorted)");
            System.out.println("2. Sort by registration number");
            System.out.println("3. Sort by name");
            System.out.println("4. Sort by GPA (highest first)");
            System.out.println("5. Sort by major, then by GPA (highest first)");
            System.out.println("6. Exit");
            System.out.print("Enter your choice: ");

            int choice = scanner.nextInt();

            switch (choice) {
                case 1:
                    System.out.println("\nUnsorted student list:");
                    manager.displayStudents();
                    break;
                case 2:
                    manager.sortByNaturalOrder();
                    break;
                case 3:
                    manager.sortByName();
                    break;
                case 4:
                    manager.sortByGpaDescending();
                    break;
                case 5:
                    manager.sortByMajorThenGpa();
                    break;
                case 6:
                    System.out.println("Exiting program. Goodbye!");
                    scanner.close();
                    return;
                default:
                    System.out.println("Invalid choice. Please try again.");
            }
        }
    }
}

This application:

1. Defines a Student class with name, GPA, registration number, and major

2. Implements Comparable to define natural ordering by registration number

3. Creates a StudentManager class that maintains a list of students

4. Provides methods to sort students in different ways

5. Includes a simple menu-driven interface for the user to choose different sorting options

6. Compile and run the application:

cd ~/project
javac StudentManager.java
java StudentManager

3. Test the application by trying various sorting options. Here's a sample interaction:

Student Manager
1. Display students (unsorted)
2. Sort by registration number
3. Sort by name
4. Sort by GPA (highest first)
5. Sort by major, then by GPA (highest first)
6. Exit
Enter your choice: 1

Unsorted student list:
----------------------------------------------------------
Name       | GPA   | Reg No | Major
----------------------------------------------------------
John       | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 101   | Major: Computer Science
Mary       | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 102   | Major: Physics
Alice      | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 103   | Major: Mathematics
Bob        | GPA: 3.9 | Reg No: 104   | Major: Computer Science
Charlie    | GPA: 3.2 | Reg No: 105   | Major: Physics
David      | GPA: 3.6 | Reg No: 106   | Major: Mathematics
Eve        | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 107   | Major: Biology
----------------------------------------------------------

Student Manager
1. Display students (unsorted)
2. Sort by registration number
3. Sort by name
4. Sort by GPA (highest first)
5. Sort by major, then by GPA (highest first)
6. Exit
Enter your choice: 3

Students sorted by name:
----------------------------------------------------------
Name       | GPA   | Reg No | Major
----------------------------------------------------------
Alice      | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 103   | Major: Mathematics
Bob        | GPA: 3.9 | Reg No: 104   | Major: Computer Science
Charlie    | GPA: 3.2 | Reg No: 105   | Major: Physics
David      | GPA: 3.6 | Reg No: 106   | Major: Mathematics
Eve        | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 107   | Major: Biology
John       | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 101   | Major: Computer Science
Mary       | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 102   | Major: Physics
----------------------------------------------------------

Student Manager
1. Display students (unsorted)
2. Sort by registration number
3. Sort by name
4. Sort by GPA (highest first)
5. Sort by major, then by GPA (highest first)
6. Exit
Enter your choice: 5

Students sorted by major, then by GPA (descending):
----------------------------------------------------------
Name       | GPA   | Reg No | Major
----------------------------------------------------------
Eve        | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 107   | Major: Biology
Bob        | GPA: 3.9 | Reg No: 104   | Major: Computer Science
John       | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 101   | Major: Computer Science
David      | GPA: 3.6 | Reg No: 106   | Major: Mathematics
Alice      | GPA: 3.5 | Reg No: 103   | Major: Mathematics
Mary       | GPA: 3.8 | Reg No: 102   | Major: Physics
Charlie    | GPA: 3.2 | Reg No: 105   | Major: Physics
----------------------------------------------------------

Student Manager
1. Display students (unsorted)
2. Sort by registration number
3. Sort by name
4. Sort by GPA (highest first)
5. Sort by major, then by GPA (highest first)
6. Exit
Enter your choice: 6
Exiting program. Goodbye!

You can experiment with different sorting options to see how the list of students is displayed differently each time.

This complete application demonstrates the power and flexibility of the Comparable and Comparator interfaces in Java. It allows you to sort objects in various ways to meet different requirements of your application.

Summary

In this lab, you learned how to compare and sort objects in Java using the Comparable and Comparator interfaces.

Key concepts covered:

1. Comparable Interface

   • Implementing compareTo() method to define a class's natural ordering
   • Using Collections.sort() with naturally ordered objects

2. Comparator Interface

   • Creating custom comparators for different sorting criteria
   • Using Collections.sort() with a custom comparator
   • Using lambda expressions and method references for concise comparator creation

3. Advanced Sorting Techniques

   • Sorting by multiple criteria using thenComparing()
   • Sorting in reverse order using Collections.reverseOrder() or reversed()
   • Creating complex sorting chains

4. Practical Application

   • Building a complete student management system with various sorting options
   • Implementing a user interface to demonstrate different sorting capabilities

These sorting capabilities are fundamental to many Java applications, especially those dealing with collections of data. Whether you're sorting students in a student management system, orders in an e-commerce application, or any other type of data, the techniques you learned in this lab will help you implement efficient and flexible sorting logic.