Sorting
After filtering and limiting, comes sorting! In this tutorial, we’ll teach you how to sort the API response and why this might come in handy for you. In other words, you will learn how to order the API response on a specific field.
What is sorting?
Sorting as its name implies, is the act of having the API sort data in an ascending or descending logical order. So, we have the following numbers: 8, 3, 7, 5, 1 If we sort this in ascending form: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 Descending form: 8, 7, 5, 3, 1
Now, let's apply this logic to our API. Every fixture is assigned a unique id at the announcement of a new season. Our API logically orders these ids. The first fixture’s id ends with one, the second fixture’s id with two, etc. However, during the season, games get rescheduled all the time. This will most of the time result in updated games, but since the game ids haven't changed, it might result in weird responses.
Let’s say fixture #5 is scheduled to be played in round one but gets rescheduled and will now be played in the last round of the season. The API still lists the fixture as the fifth match, but the start date is now much later in the season. Therefore, the response is not in order of the original starting date.
To avoid this, we want the API to sort the response with all the fixtures in the correctly scheduled order. We can do this by using the attribute called starting_at.
Note that you can only sort on included data. When you’ve included the fixtures, you can sort on all the fields in the fixture data.
Create the request
First, the standard request without the sorting:
https://soccer.sportmonks.com/api/v2.0/seasons/17141?api_token={API_TOKEN}&include=fixtures{
"data": {
"id": 17141,
"name": "2020/2021",
"league_id": 501,
"is_current_season": true,
"current_round_id": 194980,
"current_stage_id": 77447501,
"fixtures": {
"data": [
{
"id": 16475283,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 194968,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": 281425,
"referee_id": 15818,
"localteam_id": 496,
"visitorteam_id": 258,
"winner_team_id": 496,
"weather_report": {
"code": "clouds",
"type": "broken clouds",
"icon": "https://cdn.sportmonks.com/images/weather/04d.png",
"temperature": {
"temp": 60.62,
"unit": "fahrenheit"
},
"temperature_celcius": {
"temp": 15.9,
"unit": "celcius"
},
"clouds": "75%",
"humidity": "72%",
"pressure": 1013,
"wind": {
"speed": "5.82 m/s",
"degree": 300
},
"coordinates": {
"lat": 55.83,
"lon": -4.43
},
"updated_at": "2020-08-01T15:45:06.417645Z"
},
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": true,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": "4-2-3-1",
"visitorteam_formation": "3-4-2-1"
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 1,
"visitorteam_score": 0,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": "1-0",
"ft_score": "1-0",
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "FT",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2020-08-01 14:00:00",
"date": "2020-08-01",
"time": "14:00:00",
"timestamp": 1596290400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": 90,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": 1621,
"visitorteam_coach_id": 22145896
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": 3,
"visitorteam_position": 12
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": 12770,
"second_assistant_id": 36793,
"fourth_official_id": 19329
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": {
"localteam": {
"color": "#F0F0F0",
"kit_colors": "#F0F0F0,#F0F0F0,#0A0A0A,#0A0A0A,#0A0A0A,#FFDF1B,#F0F0F0"
},
"visitorteam": {
"color": "#FDBD0F",
"kit_colors": "#FDBD0F,#FDBD0F,#FAE403,#FAE403,#5C8FAE,#FFDF1B,#FDBD0F"
}
},
"deleted": false
"is_placeholder": false
},
{
"id": 16475284,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 194968,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": 8947,
"referee_id": 18748,
"localteam_id": 282,
"visitorteam_id": 734,
"winner_team_id": null,
"weather_report": {
"code": "clouds",
"type": "scattered clouds",
"icon": "https://cdn.sportmonks.com/images/weather/03d.png",
"temperature": {
"temp": 64.83,
"unit": "fahrenheit"
},
"temperature_celcius": {
"temp": 18.2,
"unit": "celcius"
},
"clouds": "40%",
"humidity": "68%",
"pressure": 1011,
"wind": {
"speed": "16.11 m/s",
"degree": 240
},
"coordinates": {
"lat": 56.5,
"lon": -2.97
},
"updated_at": "2020-08-01T15:45:06.463564Z"
},
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": true,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": "3-5-2",
"visitorteam_formation": "3-4-3"
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 1,
"visitorteam_score": 1,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": "1-0",
"ft_score": "1-1",
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "FT",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2020-08-01 14:00:00",
"date": "2020-08-01",
"time": "14:00:00",
"timestamp": 1596290400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": 90,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": 896498,
"visitorteam_coach_id": 1742
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": 4,
"visitorteam_position": 5
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": 14467,
"second_assistant_id": 12123,
"fourth_official_id": 17256
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": {
"localteam": {
"color": "#FC7E00",
"kit_colors": "#FC7E00,#FC7E00,#FC7E00,#FC7E00,#FB6614,#FB6614,#0A0A0A"
},
"visitorteam": {
"color": "#0046A8",
"kit_colors": "#0046A8,#0046A8,#2B72DE,#2B72DE,#1B6FC5,#1B6FC5,#F0F0F0"
}
},
"deleted": false
"deleted": false
},Season Field Description
Field | Description |
| Opens an array of data you've requested |
| The unique season id |
| The name of the season |
| The unique league id the season belongs to |
| Indicates if the season is the current one. Possible values are "true" or "false" |
| The unique id of the current round |
| The unique id of the current stage |
Fixtures Field Description
Field | Description |
| Opens an array of data you've requested |
| A unique fixture id |
| The unique id of the league the fixture belongs to |
| The unique id of the season the fixture belongs to |
| The unique id of the stage the fixture belongs to |
| The unique id of the round the fixture belongs to |
| The unique id of the group the fixture belongs to |
| Indicates if the fixture has an aggregated score |
| The unique id of the venue the fixture is played at |
| The unique id of the referee that is in charge of the fixture |
| The unique id of the local team |
| The unique id of the visitor team |
| Contains the id of the team that won the fixture |
| Opens an array of weather details. Possible values of the data in this array can be found in our statuses and definitions |
| Indicates if this fixture has commentaries available |
| Give information about the visitor attendance of the fixture |
| Gives information about the pitch. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions |
| Optional additional information. |
| Indicates if the fixture was played at a neutral fixture. This often happens in cup finals |
| Opens an array containing the lineup formations of the teams. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions |
| Opens an array containing the scores of the fixture |
| The amount of goals the local team has scored in this fixture |
| The amount of goals the visitor team has scored in this fixture |
| The amount of penalty goals the local team has scored in this fixture (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout) |
| The amount of penalty goals the visitor team has scored in this fixture (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout) |
| The score at half time |
| The score at full time (90 minutes) |
| The score in extra time (only available when the fixture goes into extra time) |
| The score of the penalty shootout (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout) |
| Opens an array containing the time details of the fixture |
| Indicates in which phase the fixture is in. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions |
| Opens an array containing the time details of the fixture |
| Gives the date and time the fixture starts |
| Gives the date on which the fixture is played |
| Gives the starting time of the fixture |
| The timestamp notation of the match |
| Indicates in which timezone you've requested the data |
| Indicates in which minute the fixture is in |
| Indicates in which second the fixture is in |
| Indicates how many added time is added |
| Extra minute is when a fixture goes to extra time. Extra_minute will count from 0 to 15 and from 15 to 30. |
| In case of added time it will end up in injury_minute |
| Opens an array containing the unique id's of the coaches |
| The unique id of the coach from the local team |
| The unique id of the coach from the visitor team |
| Opens an array containing the standings of the local- and visitorteam |
| Indicates in which positions the local team is before the fixture |
| Indicates in which positions the visitor team is before the fixture |
| Opens an array containing the unique id's of the assistant referees |
| The unique id of the first assistant |
| The unique id of the second assistant |
| The unique id of the fourth official |
| Indicates in how many legs this fixture is played |
| Opens an array containing information about the team colors |
| Opens an array containing information about the local team colors |
| The main color code of the local team |
| The kit color codes of the local team |
| Opens an array containing information about the visitor team colors |
| The main color code of the visitor team |
| The kit color codes of the local team |
| Indicates if the team was deleted. More information: Keep in Sync |
| This property indicates if the resource is used to display dummy data. The false of this property will always be a |
This URL requests all the fixtures of the 20/21 season of the Scottish Premiership (season id: 17141).
Second, we add in the :order(starting_at | asc) to sort the request in the ascending order:
https://soccer.sportmonks.com/api/v2.0/seasons/17141?api_token={API_TOKEN}&include=fixtures:order(starting_at|asc){
"data": {
"id": 17141,
"name": "2020/2021",
"league_id": 501,
"is_current_season": true,
"current_round_id": 194980,
"current_stage_id": 77447501,
"fixtures": {
"data": [
{
"id": 16475286,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 194968,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": 8928,
"referee_id": 14853,
"localteam_id": 273,
"visitorteam_id": 62,
"winner_team_id": 62,
"weather_report": {
"code": "clouds",
"type": "overcast clouds",
"icon": "https://cdn.sportmonks.com/images/weather/04d.png",
"temperature": {
"temp": 61.7,
"unit": "fahrenheit"
},
"temperature_celcius": {
"temp": 16.5,
"unit": "celcius"
},
"clouds": "90%",
"humidity": "87%",
"pressure": 1011,
"wind": {
"speed": "5.82 m/s",
"degree": 120
},
"coordinates": {
"lat": 57.14,
"lon": -2.1
},
"updated_at": "2020-08-01T13:15:06.433081Z"
},
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": true,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": "4-4-1-1",
"visitorteam_formation": "4-3-3"
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 0,
"visitorteam_score": 1,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": "0-1",
"ft_score": "0-1",
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "FT",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2020-08-01 11:30:00",
"date": "2020-08-01",
"time": "11:30:00",
"timestamp": 1596281400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": 90,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": 896462,
"visitorteam_coach_id": 50
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": 11,
"visitorteam_position": 2
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": 15817,
"second_assistant_id": 12772,
"fourth_official_id": 17847
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": {
"localteam": {
"color": "#C40010",
"kit_colors": "#C40010,#C40010,#CA1313,#CA1313,#FF1B1B,#FF1B1B,#C40010"
},
"visitorteam": {
"color": "#F0F0F0",
"kit_colors": "#F0F0F0,#F0F0F0,#262626,#F0F0F0,#C40010,#0046A8,#002B87"
}
},
"deleted": false
"is_placeholder": false
},
{
"id": 16475283,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 194968,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": 281425,
"referee_id": 15818,
"localteam_id": 496,
"visitorteam_id": 258,
"winner_team_id": 496,
"weather_report": {
"code": "clouds",
"type": "broken clouds",
"icon": "https://cdn.sportmonks.com/images/weather/04d.png",
"temperature": {
"temp": 60.62,
"unit": "fahrenheit"
},
"temperature_celcius": {
"temp": 15.9,
"unit": "celcius"
},
"clouds": "75%",
"humidity": "72%",
"pressure": 1013,
"wind": {
"speed": "5.82 m/s",
"degree": 300
},
"coordinates": {
"lat": 55.83,
"lon": -4.43
},
"updated_at": "2020-08-01T15:45:06.417645Z"
},
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": true,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": "4-2-3-1",
"visitorteam_formation": "3-4-2-1"
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 1,
"visitorteam_score": 0,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": "1-0",
"ft_score": "1-0",
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "FT",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2020-08-01 14:00:00",
"date": "2020-08-01",
"time": "14:00:00",
"timestamp": 1596290400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": 90,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": 1621,
"visitorteam_coach_id": 22145896
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": 3,
"visitorteam_position": 12
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": 12770,
"second_assistant_id": 36793,
"fourth_official_id": 19329
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": {
"localteam": {
"color": "#F0F0F0",
"kit_colors": "#F0F0F0,#F0F0F0,#0A0A0A,#0A0A0A,#0A0A0A,#FFDF1B,#F0F0F0"
},
"visitorteam": {
"color": "#FDBD0F",
"kit_colors": "#FDBD0F,#FDBD0F,#FAE403,#FAE403,#5C8FAE,#FFDF1B,#FDBD0F"
}
},
"deleted": false
"is_placeholder": false
},The above request will give you all the matches sorted by the starting_at attribute in ascending (asc) order, but you can also request it in the descending (desc) order.
This sorting option will get you all the fixtures in the preferred scheduled order. See how the order changes based on the starting_at attribute?
https://soccer.sportmonks.com/api/v2.0/seasons/17141?api_token={API_TOKEN}&include=fixtures:order(starting_at|desc){
"data": {
"id": 17141,
"name": "2020/2021",
"league_id": 501,
"is_current_season": true,
"current_round_id": 194980,
"current_stage_id": 77447501,
"fixtures": {
"data": [
{
"id": 16475480,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 195000,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": null,
"referee_id": null,
"localteam_id": 496,
"visitorteam_id": 258,
"winner_team_id": null,
"weather_report": null,
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": false,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": null,
"visitorteam_formation": null
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 0,
"visitorteam_score": 0,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": null,
"ft_score": null,
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "NS",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2021-04-03 14:00:00",
"date": "2021-04-03",
"time": "14:00:00",
"timestamp": 1617458400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": null,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": null,
"visitorteam_coach_id": null
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": null,
"visitorteam_position": null
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": null,
"second_assistant_id": null,
"fourth_official_id": null
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": null,
"deleted": false
"is_placeholder": false
},
{
"id": 16475479,
"league_id": 501,
"season_id": 17141,
"stage_id": 77447501,
"round_id": 195000,
"group_id": null,
"aggregate_id": null,
"venue_id": null,
"referee_id": null,
"localteam_id": 246,
"visitorteam_id": 53,
"winner_team_id": null,
"weather_report": null,
"commentaries": false,
"attendance": null,
"pitch": null,
"details": null,
"neutral_venue": false,
"winning_odds_calculated": false,
"formations": {
"localteam_formation": null,
"visitorteam_formation": null
},
"scores": {
"localteam_score": 0,
"visitorteam_score": 0,
"localteam_pen_score": null,
"visitorteam_pen_score": null,
"ht_score": null,
"ft_score": null,
"et_score": null,
"ps_score": null
},
"time": {
"status": "NS",
"starting_at": {
"date_time": "2021-04-03 14:00:00",
"date": "2021-04-03",
"time": "14:00:00",
"timestamp": 1617458400,
"timezone": "UTC"
},
"minute": null,
"second": null,
"added_time": null,
"extra_minute": null,
"injury_time": null
},
"coaches": {
"localteam_coach_id": null,
"visitorteam_coach_id": null
},
"standings": {
"localteam_position": null,
"visitorteam_position": null
},
"assistants": {
"first_assistant_id": null,
"second_assistant_id": null,
"fourth_official_id": null
},
"leg": "1/1",
"colors": null,
"deleted": false
"is_placeholder": false
},And that’s all there is to sorting API requests!
With that, we have reached the end of our Sorting tutorial. In the next chapter, we’ll discuss one of the most important endpoints, namely season schedule, fixtures and livescores.
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