/frontend-js-best-practices

Use toSorted() Instead of sort() for Immutability

.sort() mutates the array in place, which can cause bugs with React state and props. Use .toSorted() to create a new sorted array without mutation.

Incorrect (mutates original array):

function UserList({ users }: { users: User[] }) {
  // Mutates the users prop array!
  let sorted = useMemo(
    () => users.sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name)),
    [users]
  )
  return <div>{sorted.map(renderUser)}</div>
}

Correct (creates new array):

function UserList({ users }: { users: User[] }) {
  // Creates new sorted array, original unchanged
  let sorted = useMemo(
    () => users.toSorted((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name)),
    [users]
  )
  return <div>{sorted.map(renderUser)}</div>
}

Why this matters in React:

1. Props/state mutations break React's immutability model - React expects props and state to be treated as read-only
2. Causes stale closure bugs - Mutating arrays inside closures (callbacks, effects) can lead to unexpected behavior

Browser support (fallback for older browsers):

.toSorted() is available in all modern browsers (Chrome 110+, Safari 16+, Firefox 115+, Node.js 20+). For older environments, use spread operator:

// Fallback for older browsers
const sorted = [...items].sort((a, b) => a.value - b.value);

Other immutable array methods:

• .toSorted() - immutable sort
• .toReversed() - immutable reverse
• .toSpliced() - immutable splice
• .with() - immutable element replacement