---
title: strings.compare() function
description: >
  `strings.compare()` compares the lexicographical order of two strings.
menu:
  flux_v0_ref:
    name: strings.compare
    parent: strings
    identifier: strings/compare
weight: 101
---

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`strings.compare()` compares the lexicographical order of two strings.

#### Return values
| Comparison | Return value |
| :--------- | -----------: |
| v < t      |           -1 |
| v == t     |            0 |
| v > t      |            1 |

##### Function type signature

```js
(t: string, v: string) => int
```

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For more information, see [Function type signatures](/flux/v0/function-type-signatures/).
{{% /caption %}}

## Parameters

### v
({{< req >}})
String value to compare.



### t
({{< req >}})
String value to compare against.




## Examples

### Compare the lexicographical order of column values

```js
import "strings"

data
    |> map(fn: (r) => ({r with same: strings.compare(v: r.string1, t: r.string2)}))

```

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#### Input data

| time                 | string1    | string2    |
| -------------------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z | RJqcVGNlcJ | rjQCvGNLCj |
| 2022-01-01T00:01:00Z | unfbcNAXUA | hBumdSljCQ |
| 2022-01-01T00:02:00Z | ITcHyLZuqu | ITcHyLZuqu |
| 2022-01-01T00:03:00Z | HyXdjvrjgp | hyxDJvrJGP |
| 2022-01-01T00:04:00Z | SVepvUBAVx | GuKKjuGsyI |


#### Output data

| same  | string1    | string2    | time                 |
| ----- | ---------- | ---------- | -------------------- |
| -1    | RJqcVGNlcJ | rjQCvGNLCj | 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z |
| 1     | unfbcNAXUA | hBumdSljCQ | 2022-01-01T00:01:00Z |
| 0     | ITcHyLZuqu | ITcHyLZuqu | 2022-01-01T00:02:00Z |
| -1    | HyXdjvrjgp | hyxDJvrJGP | 2022-01-01T00:03:00Z |
| 1     | SVepvUBAVx | GuKKjuGsyI | 2022-01-01T00:04:00Z |

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