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

data

Opens an array of data you've requested

id

The unique season id

name

The name of the season

league_id

The unique league id the season belongs to

is_current_season

Indicates if the season is the current one. Possible values are "true" or "false"

current_round_id

The unique id of the current round

current_stage_id

The unique id of the current stage

Fixtures Field Description

Field

Description

data

Opens an array of data you've requested

id

A unique fixture id

league_id

The unique id of the league the fixture belongs to

season_id

The unique id of the season the fixture belongs to

stage_id

The unique id of the stage the fixture belongs to

round_id

The unique id of the round the fixture belongs to

group_id

The unique id of the group the fixture belongs to

aggregate_id

Indicates if the fixture has an aggregated score

venue_id

The unique id of the venue the fixture is played at

referee_id

The unique id of the referee that is in charge of the fixture

localteam_id

The unique id of the local team

visitorteam_id

The unique id of the visitor team

winnerteam_id

Contains the id of the team that won the fixture

weather_report

Opens an array of weather details. Possible values of the data in this array can be found in our statuses and definitions

commentaries

Indicates if this fixture has commentaries available

attendance

Give information about the visitor attendance of the fixture

pitch

Gives information about the pitch. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions

details

Optional additional information.

neutral_venue

Indicates if the fixture was played at a neutral fixture. This often happens in cup finals

formations

Opens an array containing the lineup formations of the teams. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions

scores

Opens an array containing the scores of the fixture

localteam_score

The amount of goals the local team has scored in this fixture

visitorteam_score

The amount of goals the visitor team has scored in this fixture

localteam_pen_score

The amount of penalty goals the local team has scored in this fixture (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout)

visitorteam_pen_score

The amount of penalty goals the visitor team has scored in this fixture (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout)

ht_score

The score at half time

ft_score

The score at full time (90 minutes)

et_score

The score in extra time (only available when the fixture goes into extra time)

ps_score

The score of the penalty shootout (only available when the fixture goes into penalty shootout)

time

Opens an array containing the time details of the fixture

status

Indicates in which phase the fixture is in. Possible values can be found in our statuses and definitions

starting_at

Opens an array containing the time details of the fixture

date_time

Gives the date and time the fixture starts

date

Gives the date on which the fixture is played

time

Gives the starting time of the fixture

timestamp

The timestamp notation of the match

timezone

Indicates in which timezone you've requested the data

minute

Indicates in which minute the fixture is in

second

Indicates in which second the fixture is in

added_time

Indicates how many added time is added

extra_minute

Extra minute is when a fixture goes to extra time. Extra_minute will count from 0 to 15 and from 15 to 30.

injury_time

In case of added time it will end up in injury_minute

coaches

Opens an array containing the unique id's of the coaches

localteam_coach_id

The unique id of the coach from the local team

visitorteam_coach_id

The unique id of the coach from the visitor team

standings

Opens an array containing the standings of the local- and visitorteam

localteam_position

Indicates in which positions the local team is before the fixture

visitorteam_position

Indicates in which positions the visitor team is before the fixture

assistants

Opens an array containing the unique id's of the assistant referees

first_assistant_id

The unique id of the first assistant

second_assistant_id

The unique id of the second assistant

fourth_official_id

The unique id of the fourth official

leg

Indicates in how many legs this fixture is played

colors

Opens an array containing information about the team colors

localteam

Opens an array containing information about the local team colors

color

The main color code of the local team

kit_colors

The kit color codes of the local team

visitorteam

Opens an array containing information about the visitor team colors

color

The main color code of the visitor team

kit_colors

The kit color codes of the local team

deleted

Indicates if the team was deleted. More information: Keep in Sync

is_placeholder

This property indicates if the resource is used to display dummy data. The false of this property will always be a boolean value.

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.

PreviousLimiting NextSchedule, fixtures & livescores

Last updated 5 years ago

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