I'm getting a list of files on a linux-like system using opendir/readdir. It appears that the directory entries are returned in alphabetical order of file name. However, I don't see anything in the man pages about this order being guaranteed.
Can anyone tell me whether or not readdir guarrantees an order?
Answer
The readdir method doesn't guarantee any ordering. If you want to ensure they are sorted alphabetically you'll need to do so yourself.
Note: I searched for a bit for definitive documentation saying this is the case. The closest I came is the following link
It's by no means definitive but it does give a nice overview of the command, its history and how its implementation is typically traversal order.