compare

Compares two lists and returns their relation. For example, strcmp <0, 0, >0.

compare list1 list2

Corresponding elements of each list are compared. The result is the value of the first difference encountered or equality. A list that is a prefix of the other list is considered to be less than the other list.

By default, items are compared lexicographically. The -numeric flag, or some unique fraction thereof, causes the items to be compared as double-precision floating-point numbers.