💡Sort YouTube search results (client-side)

Problem

YouTube removed native sort-by-upload-date from search results (as of Jan 2026). Users now have no way to see newest videos first for a given search query. Feature requests in #3564, #3632 confirm this is a widely desired capability.

Solution

Add a client-side sort feature that reorders search result elements by upload date:

• Sort options: Upload date (newest first), Upload date (oldest first), Duration (shortest first), Duration (longest first), View count
• Uses YouTubes existing rendered data (date string, duration badge) to sort DOM elements
• Works with infinite scroll: re-sort new results as they load
• Toggleable from settings or via a sort picker on the search results page

Important caveat (client-side sorting)

Client-side DOM sorting is inherently limited:

• Only visible results are sorted -- cannot sort across pages
• New results loaded via infinite scroll require re-sorting
• Not as clean as server-side sorting would be

A server-side approach would require YouTube API key and OAuth. This feature should document the limitation clearly and offer both approaches if feasible.

Scope

Filtering and Discovery of Content

Parent

Split from #948 (filter search by duration). This is the client-side sort component.

Start by inspecting the search-results DOM and the existing infinite-scroll handling, then review how settings or controls are added to the search results page. Done means visible results can be sorted by upload date, duration, and view count, newly loaded results are re-sorted, and the client-side visibility limitation is documented.