Sorting with sort parameter in Rest API - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to add a sort parameter to the API URL that sorts users by age.

Rest API

GET /api/users?sort=[1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aage

Bname

Cdate

Demail

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'name' or other fields instead of 'age' when the task asks to sort by age.

The sort parameter should be set to 'age' to sort users by their age.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to add a sort parameter that sorts products by price in descending order.

Rest API

GET /api/products?sort=[1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A-price

Bprice

Cprice_desc

Ddesc_price

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'price' which sorts ascending by default.

Using 'price_desc' or 'desc_price' which are not standard.

Using '-price' sorts the products by price in descending order in many APIs.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the URL to sort orders by date in ascending order.

Rest API

GET /api/orders?sort=[1]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Adate_asc

B-date

Casc_date

Ddate

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using '-date' which sorts descending.

Using 'asc_date' or 'date_asc' which are not standard.

To sort by date ascending, just use 'date' without any prefix.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to sort employees by last name ascending and then by hire date descending.

Rest API

GET /api/employees?sort=[1],[2]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Alast_name

B-hire_date

Chire_date

D-last_name

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Reversing the order or using wrong prefixes.

The first sort is ascending by last_name, the second is descending by hire_date using '-hire_date'.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to sort products by category ascending, then by price descending, then by rating ascending.

Rest API

GET /api/products?sort=[1],[2],[3]

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Acategory

B-price

Crating

D-category

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using wrong prefixes or wrong order of fields.

Sort first by 'category' ascending, then '-price' descending, then 'rating' ascending.

Practice

1. What does the sort parameter do in a REST API request?

easy

A. It filters data based on a condition.

B. It controls the order in which data is returned.

C. It limits the number of results returned.

D. It changes the data format to XML.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of the sort parameter

   The sort parameter is used to arrange the returned data in a specific order.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other parameters

   Filtering limits data, limiting controls count, and format changes output type, but sorting changes order.

3. Final Answer:

   It controls the order in which data is returned. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Sort parameter = controls order [OK]

Hint: Sort means order, not filter or limit [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing sort with filter
• Thinking sort limits results
• Assuming sort changes data format

2. Which of the following is the correct way to sort results by the field price in descending order using the sort parameter?

easy

A. sort=desc(price)

B. sort=price-

C. sort=-price

D. sort=price_desc

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify descending order syntax

   In REST APIs, prefixing the field with a minus sign - sorts in descending order.

2. Step 2: Match the correct syntax

   Only sort=-price correctly uses the minus prefix before the field name.

3. Final Answer:

   sort=-price -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Minus before field = descending sort [OK]

Hint: Use '-' before field for descending sort [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing '-' after the field name
• Using function-like syntax incorrectly
• Appending '_desc' instead of '-' prefix

3. Given the API request /products?sort=-rating, what will be the order of the returned products?

medium

A. Products sorted by rating from highest to lowest.

B. Products sorted alphabetically by name.

C. Products sorted by rating from lowest to highest.

D. Products sorted by price from lowest to highest.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the sort parameter

   The parameter sort=-rating means sort by the field rating in descending order.

2. Step 2: Determine the order of sorting

   Descending order means highest values first, so products with highest rating come first.

3. Final Answer:

   Products sorted by rating from highest to lowest. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Minus prefix = descending order [OK]

Hint: Minus means descending, so highest values first [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming minus means ascending
• Confusing rating with price or name
• Ignoring the minus sign

4. You wrote the API request /users?sort=name- to sort users by name descending, but it returns an error. What is the problem?

medium

A. The minus sign should be before the field name, not after.

B. The field name name is invalid for sorting.

C. The sort parameter cannot be used with strings.

D. You need to use order=name_desc instead.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the position of the minus sign

   The correct syntax places the minus sign before the field name to indicate descending order.

2. Step 2: Identify the error cause

   Using name- places the minus after the field, which is invalid and causes an error.

3. Final Answer:

   The minus sign should be before the field name, not after. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Minus must prefix field for descending [OK]

Hint: Minus after field causes error; put it before [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing minus after field name
• Assuming sort can't be used on strings
• Using wrong parameter like 'order'

5. You want to get a list of blog posts sorted first by date descending, then by title ascending. Which sort parameter should you use?

hard

A. sort=-title,date

B. sort=date,-title

C. sort=title,-date

D. sort=-date,title

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand multi-field sorting syntax

   Multiple fields are separated by commas; order matters for sorting priority.

2. Step 2: Apply descending and ascending correctly

   Use -date for descending date, and title without minus for ascending title.

3. Step 3: Combine fields in correct order

   First sort by date descending, then by title ascending means sort=-date,title.

4. Final Answer:

   sort=-date,title -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Minus before date, comma, then title ascending [OK]

Hint: List fields comma-separated; minus means descending [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Reversing field order
• Putting minus on ascending field
• Using wrong separators like semicolon