---
name: "gdal-vector-sort"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "gdal"
version: "3.13.3-6"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gdal-vector-sort"
---

# gdal-vector-sort(1)

Spatially sort a vector dataset Added in version 3.13.

## NAME

gdal-vector-sort - Spatially sort a vector dataset

Added in version 3.13.

## SYNOPSIS

```
Usage: gdal vector sort [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Spatially order the features in a layer
Positional arguments:
  -i, --input <INPUT>                                  Input vector datasets [required] [not available in pipelines]
  -o, --output <OUTPUT>                                Output vector dataset [required] [not available in pipelines]
Common Options:
  -h, --help                                           Display help message and exit
  --json-usage                                         Display usage as JSON document and exit
  --config <KEY>=<VALUE>                               Configuration option [may be repeated]
  -q, --quiet                                          Quiet mode (no progress bar or warning message) [not available in pipelines]
Options:
  -l, --layer, --input-layer <INPUT-LAYER>             Input layer name(s) [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  -f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>  Output format ("GDALG" allowed) [not available in pipelines]
  --co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                Creation option [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  --lco, --layer-creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>         Layer creation option [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  --overwrite                                          Whether overwriting existing output dataset is allowed [not available in pipelines]
  --update                                             Whether to open existing dataset in update mode [not available in pipelines]
  --overwrite-layer                                    Whether overwriting existing output layer is allowed [not available in pipelines]
  --append                                             Whether appending to existing layer is allowed [not available in pipelines]
                                                       Mutually exclusive with --upsert
  --output-layer <OUTPUT-LAYER>                        Output layer name [not available in pipelines]
  --skip-errors                                        Skip errors when writing features [not available in pipelines]
  --geometry-field <GEOMETRY-FIELD>                    Name of geometry field to use in sort
  --method <METHOD>                                    Geometry sorting algorithm. METHOD=hilbert|strtree (default: hilbert)
  --use-tempfile                                       Write features to a temporary file to avoid reading the entire input dataset into memory
Advanced Options:
  --if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT>                  Input formats [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  --oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                    Open options [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  --output-oo, --output-open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>      Output open options [may be repeated] [not available in pipelines]
  --upsert                                             Upsert features (implies 'append') [not available in pipelines]
                                                       Mutually exclusive with --append
```

## DESCRIPTION

**gdal vector sort** sorts the features in a vector dataset according to the position of its geometries. The sorting method can be specified via *--method*, with Hilbert and Sort-Tile-Recursive (STRTree) algorithms available.

Features that have null or empty geometries will be placed at the end of the sorted dataset.

This command can also be used as a step of *gdal vector pipeline*.

**NOTE:**

Use of the STRtree algorithm requires a GDAL build against the GEOS library.

## PROGRAM-SPECIFIC OPTIONS

- **--geometry-field \<GEOMETRY-FIELD\>**

  The name of the geometry field by which features should be sorted.

- **--method \<METHOD\>**

  Specifies the sorting method. Available options are:

  - •

    hilbert : default method. Geometries are sorted according to the Hilbert code of the center point of their bounding box

  - •

    strtree : Geometries are sorted by constructing a sort-tile-recursive tree using the GEOS library and performing a depth-first iteration.

- **--use-tempfile**

  Write the input features to a temporary file from which they can be read in sorted order. Avoids the need to load the entire input layer into memory.

## RETURN STATUS CODE

The program returns status code 0 in case of success, and non-zero in case of error (non-blocking errors emitted as warnings are considered as a successful execution).

## EXAMPLES

### Example 1: Create a cloud-optimized Shapefile

```
$ gdal vector sort in.gpkg out.shp --method hilbert --lco SPATIAL_INDEX=YES
```

## AUTHOR

Dan Baston \<dbaston@gmail.com\>

## COPYRIGHT

1998-2026