NAME
    sort - sort lines of text files

SYNOPSIS
    sort [OPTION]... [FILE]...

DESCRIPTION
    Write sorted concatenation of all FILE(s) to standard output.

    Ordering options:

    Mandatory arguments to  long options are mandatory for short options
    too.

    -b, --ignore-leading-blanks ignore leading blanks

    -d, --dictionary-order
    consider only blanks and alphanumeric characters

    -f, --ignore-case
    fold lower case to upper case characters

    -g, --general-numeric-sort
    compare according to general numerical value

    -i, --ignore-nonprinting
    consider only printable characters

    -M, --month-sort
    compare (unknown) < `JAN' < ... < `DEC'

    -n, --numeric-sort
    compare according to string numerical value

    -r, --reverse
    reverse the result of comparisons

    Other options:

    -c, --check
    check whether input is sorted; do not sort

    -k, --key=POS1[,POS2]
    start a key at POS1, end it at POS 2 (origin 1)

    -m, --merge
    merge already sorted files; do not sort

    -o, --output=FILE
    write result to FILE instead of standard output

    -s, --stable
    stabilize sort by disabling last-resort comparison

    -S, --buffer-size=SIZE
    use SIZE for main memory buffer

    -t, --field-separator=SEP use SEP instead of non- to whitespace transi-
    tion

    -T, --temporary-directory=DIR
    use DIR for temporaries, not $TMPDIR or /tmp multiple options
    specify multiple directories

    -u, --unique
    with -c: check for strict ordering
    otherwise: output only the first of an equal run

    -z, --zero-terminated
    end lines with 0 byte, not newline

    --help display this help and exit

    --version
    output version information and exit

    POS is F[.C][OPTS], where F is the field number and C the character
    position  in the field.  OPTS  is one or more single-letter ordering
    options, which override global ordering options for that  key. If no
    key is given, use the entire line as the key.

    SIZE may be followed by the following multiplicative suffixes: % 1% of
    memory, b 1, K 1024 (default), and so on for M, G, T, P, E, Z, Y.

    With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

    *** WARNING *** The locale specified by the environment  affects sort
    order. Set LC_ALL=C to get the traditional sort order that uses native
    byte values.

AUTHOR
    Written by Mike Haertel and Paul Eggert.

REPORTING BUGS
    Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT
    Copyright (C) 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
    This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is
    NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
    PURPOSE.

SEE ALSO
    The full documentation for sort is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If
    the info and sort programs are properly installed at your site, the
    command

    info sort

    should give you access to the complete manual.