ordered_block

The lines between a start / end marker pair must stay sorted (and, with unique: true, free of duplicates) under comparator (lexical / lexical-ci / numeric). Both markers are optional: omit end to sort from start to EOF, omit both to sort the whole file (the markerless “this file is one sorted list” form — dictionaries, allow-lists, a fully-sorted CODEOWNERS). The generic form of per-project keep-sorted scripts (protobuf failure_lists, sorted .gitignore / CODEOWNERS / dependency lists). Per-file: with markers, a file with no start marker is silently fine; markers match the trimmed line; blank lines inside a block are ignored; one violation per out-of-order block; a fully-delimited block that never sees its end is reported unclosed (a block with an absent end runs to EOF by design). An optional select: regex restricts the sortable entries to lines matching it — other lines inside the block (comments, group headers) pass through untouched (the sectioned / keep-sorted-subset shape).

Options

Option	Type	Required	Default	Description
comparator	one of lexical | lexical-ci | numeric		lexical	Comparator used to order entries: lexical (default), lexical-ci, or numeric.
end	string		null	Marker line closing a block. Optional - omit to run the block to EOF.
select	string		null	Regex; when set, only lines inside a block matching it are sortable entries (others, such as comments or group headers, pass through). The sectioned / keep-sorted-subset shape.
start	string		null	Marker line opening a block (matched on the trimmed line). Optional - omit to anchor the block at the start of the file.
unique	boolean		false	When true, also forbid duplicate (equal) entries within a block.

Plus the common paths, level, id, and when fields. This table is generated from the JSON Schema; option types and defaults are authoritative.

Example

A keep-sorted block left out of order

The rule fires on this repository:

.gitignore

.gitignore

/target
# keep-sorted start
*.log
node_modules/
*.tmp
# keep-sorted end

With this .alint.yml:

version: 1
rules:
  - id: keep-sorted
    kind: ordered_block
    paths: "**/.gitignore"
    start: "# keep-sorted start"
    end: "# keep-sorted end"
    comparator: lexical
    level: warning

alint check reports:

--- .gitignore -----------------------------------------------------------------
  !  warning  keep-sorted
              5:1  ordered_block (start at line 2): "*.tmp" is out of order (it comes
              after "node_modules/")

Summary (1 violation):
  ! 1 warning
  0 passing * 1 failing

A keep-sorted block in lexical order

This repository is compliant:

.gitignore

.gitignore

/target
# keep-sorted start
*.log
*.tmp
node_modules/
# keep-sorted end

With this .alint.yml:

version: 1
rules:
  - id: keep-sorted
    kind: ordered_block
    paths: "**/.gitignore"
    start: "# keep-sorted start"
    end: "# keep-sorted end"
    comparator: lexical
    level: warning

alint check reports:

v All 1 rule(s) passed.