diff --git a/runtime/expr/sort.go b/runtime/expr/sort.go
index d14ca74e70..13d37e1dc2 100644
--- a/runtime/expr/sort.go
+++ b/runtime/expr/sort.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package expr
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"cmp"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"slices"
@@ -326,24 +327,12 @@ func LookupCompare(typ zed.Type) comparefn {
 
 	case zed.IDInt16, zed.IDInt32, zed.IDInt64:
 		return func(a, b zcode.Bytes) int {
-			va, vb := zed.DecodeInt(a), zed.DecodeInt(b)
-			if va < vb {
-				return -1
-			} else if va > vb {
-				return 1
-			}
-			return 0
+			return cmp.Compare(zed.DecodeInt(a), zed.DecodeInt(b))
 		}
 
 	case zed.IDUint16, zed.IDUint32, zed.IDUint64:
 		return func(a, b zcode.Bytes) int {
-			va, vb := zed.DecodeUint(a), zed.DecodeUint(b)
-			if va < vb {
-				return -1
-			} else if va > vb {
-				return 1
-			}
-			return 0
+			return cmp.Compare(zed.DecodeUint(a), zed.DecodeUint(b))
 		}
 
 	case zed.IDFloat16, zed.IDFloat32, zed.IDFloat64:
@@ -352,41 +341,19 @@ func LookupCompare(typ zed.Type) comparefn {
 			aNaN, bNaN := math.IsNaN(va), math.IsNaN(vb)
 			if aNaN && bNaN {
 				// Order different NaNs so ZNG sets have a canonical form.
-				aBits, bBits := math.Float64bits(va), math.Float64bits(vb)
-				if aBits < bBits {
-					return -1
-				} else if aBits > bBits {
-					return 1
-				}
-				return 0
-			} else if aNaN || va < vb {
-				return -1
-			} else if bNaN || va > vb {
-				return 1
+				cmp.Compare(math.Float64bits(va), math.Float64bits(vb))
 			}
-			return 0
+			return cmp.Compare(va, vb)
 		}
 
 	case zed.IDTime:
 		return func(a, b zcode.Bytes) int {
-			va, vb := zed.DecodeTime(a), zed.DecodeTime(b)
-			if va < vb {
-				return -1
-			} else if va > vb {
-				return 1
-			}
-			return 0
+			return cmp.Compare(zed.DecodeTime(a), zed.DecodeTime(b))
 		}
 
 	case zed.IDDuration:
 		return func(a, b zcode.Bytes) int {
-			va, vb := zed.DecodeDuration(a), zed.DecodeDuration(b)
-			if va < vb {
-				return -1
-			} else if va > vb {
-				return 1
-			}
-			return 0
+			return cmp.Compare(zed.DecodeDuration(a), zed.DecodeDuration(b))
 		}
 
 	case zed.IDIP:
diff --git a/type.go b/type.go
index e6186ae1ad..0fa00a69c4 100644
--- a/type.go
+++ b/type.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 package zed
 
 import (
+	"cmp"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
@@ -411,17 +412,17 @@ func CompareTypes(a, b Type) int {
 		// a == b
 		return 0
 	}
-	if cmp := compareInts(int(a.Kind()), int(b.Kind())); cmp != 0 {
+	if cmp := cmp.Compare(a.Kind(), b.Kind()); cmp != 0 {
 		return cmp
 	}
 	switch a.Kind() {
 	case PrimitiveKind:
-		return compareInts(aID, bID)
+		return cmp.Compare(aID, bID)
 	case RecordKind:
 		ra, rb := TypeRecordOf(a), TypeRecordOf(b)
 		// First compare number of fields.
-		if len(ra.Fields) != len(rb.Fields) {
-			return compareInts(len(ra.Fields), len(rb.Fields))
+		if cmp := cmp.Compare(len(ra.Fields), len(rb.Fields)); cmp != 0 {
+			return cmp
 		}
 		// Second compare field names.
 		for i := 0; i < len(ra.Fields); i++ {
@@ -447,7 +448,7 @@ func CompareTypes(a, b Type) int {
 		return CompareTypes(ma.ValType, mb.ValType)
 	case UnionKind:
 		ua, ub := a.(*TypeUnion), b.(*TypeUnion)
-		if cmp := compareInts(len(ua.Types), len(ub.Types)); cmp != 0 {
+		if cmp := cmp.Compare(len(ua.Types), len(ub.Types)); cmp != 0 {
 			return cmp
 		}
 		for i := 0; i < len(ua.Types); i++ {
@@ -458,7 +459,7 @@ func CompareTypes(a, b Type) int {
 		return 0
 	case EnumKind:
 		ea, eb := a.(*TypeEnum), b.(*TypeEnum)
-		if cmp := compareInts(len(ea.Symbols), len(eb.Symbols)); cmp != 0 {
+		if cmp := cmp.Compare(len(ea.Symbols), len(eb.Symbols)); cmp != 0 {
 			return cmp
 		}
 		for i := 0; i < len(ea.Symbols); i++ {
@@ -474,15 +475,6 @@ func CompareTypes(a, b Type) int {
 	return 0
 }
 
-func compareInts(a, b int) int {
-	if a < b {
-		return -1
-	} else if a > b {
-		return 1
-	}
-	return 0
-}
-
 type TypeOfType struct{}
 
 func (t *TypeOfType) ID() int {