Groovy: Sorting List of Date Strings Monday, April 22, 2013

def list = [
"2013-01-01 0:00:00", "2013-02-01 0:00:00", "2013-03-01 0:00:00", "2013-04-01 0:00:00",
"2009-01-01 0:00:00", "2009-02-01 0:00:00", "2009-03-01 0:00:00", "2009-04-01 0:00:00",
"2008-01-01 0:00:00", "2008-02-01 0:00:00", "2008-03-01 0:00:00", "2008-04-01 0:00:00",
]

Collections.shuffle(list, new Random())

list.each{ println it }

println "-- sorted --"

list.sort()

list.each{ println it }

Output:

2008-03-01 0:00:00
2009-04-01 0:00:00
2009-03-01 0:00:00
2008-02-01 0:00:00
2009-02-01 0:00:00
2013-01-01 0:00:00
2008-04-01 0:00:00
2013-03-01 0:00:00
2013-02-01 0:00:00
2009-01-01 0:00:00
2013-04-01 0:00:00
2008-01-01 0:00:00
-- sorted --
2008-01-01 0:00:00
2008-02-01 0:00:00
2008-03-01 0:00:00
2008-04-01 0:00:00
2009-01-01 0:00:00
2009-02-01 0:00:00
2009-03-01 0:00:00
2009-04-01 0:00:00
2013-01-01 0:00:00
2013-02-01 0:00:00
2013-03-01 0:00:00
2013-04-01 0:00:00