min-by

array →
min-by(
    expression: expression
) → any

Returns the original source element whose expression result is smallest. Preserves the first match on ties and skips null criteria. Returns null for empty arrays, all-null criteria, or non-array input.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
expression	expression	Yes	Expression evaluated once for each source element to obtain its comparison criterion.

Argument evaluation

Visits each element of the array entering this call.

• expression: Evaluated once per visited element, with that element as its context.

Behavior

The output preserves the selected source element and its runtime type; it depends on the input element type, not the expression result type. Traverses the source once in order with constant auxiliary storage. Min-by and max-by compare numeric values across numeric types, text using ordinal ordering, and other same-type comparable scalar values; incompatible or non-comparable criteria fail. Closest-by requires numeric criteria and a numeric target. Expressions execute once per element, including after an exact match.

Examples

{ -8, -3, 3 } | min-by(absolute) → -3
{{bar := 10}, {bar := 30}} | min-by(.bar) → {bar := 10}

Kind: Function
Scope: array/selection
Aliases: None