This document defines the following.
— A reference comparison method. This method is applicable to two character strings to determine 
their collating order in a sorted list. The method can be applied to strings containing characters from 
the full repertoire of ISO/IEC 10646. This method is also applicable to subsets of that repertoire, 
such as those of the different ISO/IEC 8-bit standard character sets, or any other character set, 
standardized or not, to produce ordering results valid (after tailoring) for a given set of languages 
for each . This method uses collation tables derived either from the Common Template Table 
defined in this document or from one of its tailorings. This method provides a reference format. The 
format is described using the Backus-Naur Form (BNF). This format is used to describe the Common 
Template Table. The format is used normatively within this document.
— A Common Template Table. A given tailoring of the Common Template Table is used by the reference 
comparison method. The Common Template Table describes an order for all characters encoded 
in the Unicode 13.0 standard, included in ISO/IEC 10646:2020. It allows for a specification of 
a fully deterministic ordering. This table enables the specification of a string ordering adapted to 
local ordering rules, without requiring an implementer to have knowledge of all the different s 
already encoded in the Universal Coded Character Set (UCS).
NOTE 1 This Common Template Table is to be modified to suit the needs of a local environment. The main 
worldwide benefit is that, for other s, often no modification is required and the order will remain as 
consistent as possible and predictable from an international point of view.th edition 2020-12 Information technology — International string ordering and comparison — Method for comparing character strings and description of the common template tailorable ordering Technologies de l'information — Classement international et comparaison de cha？nes de caractères — Méthode de comparaison de cha？nes de caractères et description du modèle commun et adaptable d'ordre de classement Reference number ISO/IEC 14651:2020(E) ？ ISO/IEC